Berlin – German police are seeking a Tunisian asylum seeker over the deadly Berlin truck attack, media reports said Wednesday after a security source told dpa authorities were planning an “imminent” counterterrorism operation in a western state.
Regional newspaper Allgemeine Zeitung reported that the 21-year-old Tunisian asylum seeker’s immigration papers were found inside the vehicle and that “Anis A” is being sought by police, adding that he is known to authorities under three other aliases.
A security source told dpa that police were about to embark on a police operation related to the Berlin Christmas market attack in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The damaged cab of a lorry is towed away in Berlin, Germany, 20 December 2016. An unknown assailant drove the truck into a crowded Christmas market in central Berlin on the Monday evening (19.12.16). (Photo: Rainer Jensen/dpa (c) dpa – Bildfunk)
German tabloid Bild reported that the Tunisian man is registered in Cleves, a town close to the Dutch border that is in the same state. Its report added that he is considered by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency as a so-called Gefaehrder – which literally means endangerer – who is prepared to commit acts of terrorism at any time.
“I am relatively confident that we can present a new suspect as early as tomorrow or in the near future,” Andre Schulz of the German detectives union told broadcaster ZDF late Tuesday, adding that there was “good evidence” and “a lot of leads.”
Berlin police said they had received more than 500 tips about the attack, which occurred on Monday when a large truck laden with steel ploughed through the market in a shopping district, leaving 12 dead and dozens injured. Shortly afterwards, a 23-year-old Pakistani asylum seeker was apprehended based on a description from a witness. He was later released after no evidence was found linking him to the crime.
The RBB broadcaster reported Wednesday that another suspect had been detained overnight to Wednesday and later released due to insufficient evidence. Joerg Radek, head of the DLF police union, told Deutschlandfunk radio that the investigation was focusing on DNA and other traces from the crime scene, an evaluation of the truck’s GPS data and material found on mobile phones confiscated at the scene.
The Islamic State terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack through its official Aamaq news agency, saying that one of its soldiers had acted in response to calls to target citizens of the coalition of states fighting the group. The Islamic State often issues claims of responsibility for attacks in which it had no or only a limited role.
The German anti-immigrant group Ein Prozent said it would rally outside the Berlin chancellery at 6 pm (1700 GMT) on Wednesday, adding that Alexander Gauland and Bjoern Hoecke – senior members of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party – would be in attendance.
Berliner Buendnis gegen Rechts, a left-wing group, said it would rally at Berlin’s Hardenbergplatz at 5 pm to commemorate “the victims and those left behind” and to protest the actions of groups “using this crime to sow seeds of hate and to divide our society.”
Mayor Michael Mueller told ZDF it is “good to see that Berliners aren’t intimidated” after the attack, and that the city was “standing together for our liberal life in Berlin. “I don’t think there’s any need to be afraid – the police presence has been significantly heightened,” he said.
Fourteen of those injured in the carnage remain in a life-threatening condition. German President Joachim Gauck visited Berlin’s Charite hospital early Wednesday to meet victims and later said that he had met a man who had been struck by a beam while aiding an injured person.
In a brief statement outside the hospital, the head of state said that he “reminded (the victims) of their innate strength.” Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere and domestic intelligence chief Hans-Georg Maassen were due to speak about the attack at an extraordinary meeting of a parliamentary home affairs committee scheduled for 12:30 pm (1130 GMT).
The Christmas market that was targeted by the attack is set to reopen on Thursday, a spokeswoman for the Schaustellerverband fairground organization said.
-dpa
