Germany: Christmas market incident was probable attack

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN (AA) – German police said they are investigating the death of at least 12 people and nearly 50 injuries when a truck crashed into a crowded Christmas market late Monday as a probable terrorist attack.

In a statement posted on Twitter Tuesday, Berlin police said that an investigation is currently underway with the suspicion of a terrorist attack.

“Our investigators assume that the truck was intentionally steered into the crowd in the Christmas market at Breitscheideplatz,” the police said.

Witnesses told local media that the driver of the truck ran away soon after the incident at the popular Christmas market near the historical Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in central Berlin.

Police arrested a suspect late Monday, and confirmed that he was interrogated under suspicion of stealing the truck and intentionally driving it into the crowds.

German daily Die Welt reported that the suspected driver was a Pakistani refugee who arrived in Germany in February. Daily Tagesspiegel said the suspect was known to police for petty offenses, not for any association with terrorist groups.

But police declined to officially comment on the suspect’s nationality, due to the ongoing investigation.

A press conference was scheduled for midday Tuesday.