The deadliest Islamist attack in German history takes place in the centre of Berlin
Increasing pressure from international forces on Islamic State in Syria and Iraq prompted the organization to call on Muslims living in Europe to “kill infidels” and to provide guidance on how to do so effectively. A series of terrorist attacks occurred in several European countries in 2015 and 2016. At a public festival in Nice, France, a truck ploughed into a crowd, killing 86 people and injuring hundreds. Months later, on 19 December 2016, a man in northern Berlin hijacked a lorry, killed the driver, and drove it into a Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz in central Berlin. The vehicle was brought to a halt by the automatic braking system. Thirteen people died and 67 were injured, some seriously. This was the most serious Islamist attack in Germany to date. The attacker initially escaped unidentified and travelled to Italy, where he was shot dead during a routine check four days later.
Investigations in Germany revealed that the perpetrator was 23-year-old Tunisian national Anis Amri. From a background of poverty, he began a life of crime as a teenager and fled to Italy at the age of 17 to apply for asylum. He soon ended up in prison for a number of violent offences and exhibited the first signs of religious radicalization there. After his release, Amri travelled to Germany, where he applied for social benefits under at least 14 different names at various locations. He eventually came to the attention of the security services, who classified him as a threat. Despite warnings from a foreign intelligence service to the contrary, German investigators believed that Amri was moving away from religious fanaticism and towards commercial drug trafficking. Consequently, Amri was not kept under observation, and no one noticed how he made contact with Islamic State. On the evening of 19 December, Amri phoned a friend and asked him to pray for him. He then drove the truck into Breitscheidplatz. Islamic State subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that Amri had been working on their behalf.
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