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TERROR IN BERLIN

What happened in the Berlin attack, where is the Breitscheidplatz Christmas market and what do we know about the suspected lorry driver Anis Amri?

A LORRY ploughed through shoppers at a Christmas market in Berlin, killing at least 12 people and injuring over fifty.

The rampage took place in Breitscheidplatz, a major public square in the West of the city, and is thought to be the first full-scale jihadi attack to hit Germany.

 The huge truck ploughed into crowds of revellers attending the Christmas markets
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The huge truck ploughed into crowds of revellers attending the Christmas marketsCredit: Reuters

What happened in the Berlin attack?

On the evening of 19 December, a 32-tonne truck was driven "intentionally" through the Breitscheidplatz Christmas market, mounting a pavement before crashing into a crowd of shoppers.

It tore through stalls leaving a bloody trail in its wake, before ending its 150ft rampage outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in the city's centre.

ISIS was quick to claim responsibility for the attack which left 12 people dead and around 50 injured.

The lorry had been driven by a Polish man, the cousin of a haulage company owner, for 15 years.

It is understood that the driver was murdered by the perpetrator of the attack, with his body discovered on the passenger seat of the vehicle.

Police said the lorry was stolen from a building site in Poland and it is being forensically examined by German authorities.

 The attacker reportedly hijacked the lorry from an undisclosed location
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The attacker reportedly hijacked the lorry from an undisclosed locationCredit: PA Graphics
 The attack left devastation in its wake just days before Christmas
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The attack left devastation in its wake just days before ChristmasCredit: Reuters

Video footage captured in the aftermath of the rampage revealed the bloody chaos and destruction the lorry left in its wake.

Pools of blood and scores of people left badly injured are seen among the debris of market stalls torn to pieces in the deadly attack.

Facebook activated its Safety Check following the atrocity, a feature introduced to let users known they are safe in the wake of either "man made" or natural disasters.

Eyewitnesses in the area described the moment the lorry tore into the crowds of festive revellers.

Briton Emma Rushton, who was in the Berlin market, saw the lorry rush past her at speed and said there was no way it could have been unintentional.

She added: "It was not an accident. It was going 40mph, it was in the middle of the market.

"There was no way that it could have come off the road and it showed no signs of slowing down."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel described her "mourning" in the aftermath of the horrific scenes that marred her nation's capital just days before Christmas.

The attack came shortly after terrorist group ISIS threatened massacres at Christmas markets and events.

Just weeks before the US State Department revealed it has "credible information" that ISIS and other Islamist terror groups are plotting massacres across Europe.

What do we know about the driver of the lorry?

Police arrested a man they suspected of carrying out the attack around 2km from Breitscheidplatz.

However, German media reported that they had caught the wrong man, meaning the real driver is still at large.

The man arrested, and now released without charge, was identified as a 23-year-old Pakistani refugee, named locally as Naved Bulach.

He was reportedly born on January 1 1993 in Tubat, Pakistan and arrived in Germany on February 11 2016.

Police found no blood or gunpowder residue on him after the arrest and conceded they had the wrong man.

The prime suspect was named as Anis Amri.

Police were searching for the Tunisian asylum seeker suspected of ploughing a lorry into crowds.

Who was Anis Amri?

Anis Amri was a 23-year-old Tunisian asylum seeker suspected of ploughing a lorry into crowds at a Berlin Christmas market.

His ID documents were found inside the truck which crashed into festive shoppers killing 12.

He fled from the scene and was hunted by police after being named the chief suspect.

On the morning of December 23, it was reported he had been shot dead by Italian police in a dramatic shootout in Milan.

Reports have said he was killed in Sesto San Giovanni at 3am after being stopped by officers for a document check.

Born in the desert town of Tataouine on Tunisia’s border with Libya, the suspect is believed to have undergone weapons training abroad.

He is thought to have been awaiting an asylum hearing on his German residency.

Amri has been described as armed, “extremely dangerous” and a member of a “large” Islamic organisation.

 Police were hunting for a Tunisian man using the alias Anis Amri over the Berlin Market massacre attack
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Police were hunting for a Tunisian man using the alias Anis Amri over the Berlin Market massacre attack

The suspect is believed to have been living in temporary housing while awaiting an asylum decision.

He is thought to have arrived in Germany earlier this year.

His father described him as a violent drinker and drug user who was  radicalised in a European prison.

He said his son left Tunisa in March of 2011, adding if he did commit the attack he would be disowned by his family.

German police had offered a reward of 100,000 euros for information leading to his arrest.

 Lukasz Urban is now believed to have been alive during the terror attack with reports suggesting he tried to stop the terrorist
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Lukasz Urban is now believed to have been alive during the terror attack with reports suggesting he tried to stop the terrorist

Who is Lukasz Urban?

The murdered Pole, 37, tried to fight off the terrorist who hijacked his truck for the Berlin massacre.

Lukasz’s cousin Ariel Zurawski opened up about his cousin’s final bravery, after his lorry was hijacked while he stopped for a kebab.

Ariel, who also owned the trucking company Lukasz worked for, said: “It was really clear he was fighting for his life.

“His face was swollen and bloodied. Police informed me that he had suffered gunshot wounds. Despite being stabbed he was shot dead.

“I believe he would not give up the vehicle and would defend it to the end if he were attacked.”

Where is Breitscheidplatz?

Breitscheidplatz is a major public square in the inner city of Berlin, Germany.

The area lies within the Charlottenburg district near the tip of the Tiergarten park and the Zoological Gardens.

 The Christmas markets were set to take place until 1 January 2017
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The Christmas markets were set to take place until 1 January 2017Credit: Google Maps

The centre of Breitscheidplatz is marked by the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, a famous landmark of western Berlin, the area is popular with tourists and is a popular shopping district.

According to , the markets feature a heated pop up restaurant, mini ferri wheels, craft stalls and firework displays.

Admission to the markets is free and were scheduled to be open between 11am and 9pm local time on the day of the attack.

The Christmas markets in Breitscheidplatz were scheduled to run from 21 November to 1 January 2017.

 The area is a popular shopping district for tourists
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The area is a popular shopping district for touristsCredit: Google Maps Streetview
 The area is a central location in Western Berlin
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The area is a central location in Western BerlinCredit: Google Maps Streetview

Where have similar events taken place?

Earlier this year a truck crashed through a crowd in Nice, Southern France on Bastille Day.

On 14 July 2016 a 25-tonne truck crashed into crowds killing at least 84 people.

Crazed gunman Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel zig-zagged through crowds watching the Nice’s annual fireworks for more than a mile before opening fire at men, women and children.

 The Nice terror attack killed 86 people and left more than 400 injured
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The Nice terror attack killed 86 people and left more than 400 injuredCredit: AP:Associated Press

Bouhlel mounted the pavement, mowing down groups at 40mph, before reportedly jumping out of the truck and opening fire.



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