Twelve dead as truck hits Berlin Christmas market in ‘probable terrorist attack’

Twelve people died and 48 injured after a truck drove into a Christmas market in Berlin on the 19 December 2016.

Police said on the 20 December 2016 that they were treating the incident as 'a probable terrorist attack'.

Initially, security sources picked up someone who they suspected was the driver who had come to Germany as a refugee in February 2016 from Pakistan. However, on the 20 December 2016, he was released, and the search continued to find the driver of the lorry.

So-called Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack on the 20 December 2016, but this could not be verified at this stage.

Political critics of Chancellor Merkel's policy towards refugees including CSU leader Horst Seehofer and AfD leader Frauke Petry both used the incident to criticise the German Chancellor and call for changes in German immigration policy.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Do refugees pose a terrorist threat? http://www.europeansources.info/record/do-refugees-pose-a-terrorist-threat/

ESO: Background information: France struck on its national day by horrific terrorist attack http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-struck-on-its-national-day-by-horrific-terrorist-attack/

Deutsche Welle, 20.12.16: German police say truck driver 'intentionally' drove into Berlin Xmas market http://dw.com/p/2UZkO

EurActiv, 20.12.16: Berlin Christmas market attack ‘affects all Europe’ http://www.euractiv.com/section/security/news/berlin-christmas-market-attack-affects-all-europe/

Politico, 20.12.16: Truck hits Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 http://www.politico.eu/article/truck-hits-berlin-christmas-market-9-dead-police/

The Guardian, 20.12.16: Christmas market truck crash: terrorism fears darken Germany’s mini-utopias https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/20/berlin-truck-crash-terrorism-fears-darken-germanys-mini-utopias

The Conversation, 20.12.16: Berlin attack: security intelligence has limits in preventing truck-borne terror http://theconversation.com/berlin-attack-security-intelligence-has-limits-in-preventing-truck-borne-terror-70643

Euro|Topics: Debates, December 2016: Truck crashes into Berlin Christmas market / How should an open society react to terror? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/171540/truck-crashes-into-berlin-christmas-market

Euro|Topics: Dossier: Terror in Europe http://www.eurotopics.net/en/163152/terror-in-europe

European Commission: RAPID: DG Communication: STATEMENT/16/4474: Statement of Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Berlin http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-16-4474_en.htm?locale=en

Council of Europe: News, 20.12.16: Recent terrorist attacks in Europe http://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/rrecent-terrorist-attacks-in-europe

Deutsche Welle, 20.12.16: World leaders pledge solidarity with Berlin after Christmas market tragedy http://dw.com/p/2UZtd

EUObserver 20.12.16: Merkel faces backlash over Berlin attack https://euobserver.com/political/136355

The Guardian: Tag: Berlin Christmas market attack https://www.theguardian.com/world/berlin-christmas-market-attack

Politico, 20.12.16: Berlin attack exposes Angela Merkel’s right flank http://www.politico.eu/article/berlin-terror-attack-angela-merkel-afd-far-right-germany-elections-terrorism/

The Local.de, 20.12.16: Far-right accuse Merkel of culpability for deaths in Berlin http://www.thelocal.de/20161220/merkels-far-right-critics-lash-out-after-berlin-truck-attack

The Local.de: Tag: Truck attack http://www.thelocal.de/tag/truck+attack

The Conversation, 20.12.16: Why Berlin Christmas market attack puts new pressure on Angela Merkel http://theconversation.com/why-berlin-christmas-market-attack-puts-new-pressure-on-angela-merkel-70668

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Euro|Topics: Debates, December 2016: Can Merkel withstand the pressure? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/171623/can-merkel-withstand-the-pressure

Deutsche Welle: Tag: Terror attack http://www.dw.com/search/en?languageCode=en&origin=gN&item=truck+attack&searchNavigationId=9097

Spiegel Online International, 22.12.16: Political firestorm. Did Failures By German Authorities Lead to Attack? http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/did-failures-by-german-authorities-contribute-to-terror-attack-a-1127268.html

Deutsche Welle, 05.01.17: German officials: Anis Amri used at least 14 identities http://dw.com/p/2VN9k

BBC News, 28.12.16: Berlin market attack: How did Anis Amri escape? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38425945

Euro|Topics: Debates, January 2017: What are the consequences of the Amri case? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/172482/what-are-the-consequences-of-the-amri-case

Deutsche Welle, 16.01.17: Berlin remembers Christmas market victims one month after attack http://dw.com/p/2VtPr

OSW: Analyses, 21.12.16: The Berlin attack – another problem for Merkel https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2016-12-21/berlin-attack-another-problem-merkel

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