The Islamic State group claimed responsibility on Tuesday for the truck attack on a crowded Berlin Christmas market that the German authorities said came right out of the extremist group’s playbook.
The Monday night assault on the popular market near the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in the heart of former West Berlin that left 12 dead and 48 injured was the first mass casualty attack by Islamic extremists carried out on German soil. Security forces were hunting for the perpetrator after releasing a man from custody for lack of evidence.
The claim of responsibility carried on the Islamic State group’s Amaq news agency described the man seen fleeing from the truck as “a soldier of the Islamic State” who “carried out the attack in response to calls for targeting citizens of the Crusader coalition.”
Germany is not involved in anti-IS combat operations, but has stationed Tornado jets and a refueling plane stationed in Turkey in support of the coalition that is fighting militants in Syria, as well as a frigate protecting a French aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean, among other assets.
The claim of responsibility came not long after German prosecutors said they had released a man picked up near the scene of the attack, initially suspected of driving the truck.
The man, a Pakistani citizen who came to Germany last year, was taken into custody based on a description from witnesses of a suspect who jumped out of the truck and fled after the attack.
Even before his release, officials had expressed doubt the man was behind the attack.
“We may still have a dangerous criminal out there,” warned Berlin police chief Klaus Kandt, whose office urged people to be “particularly vigilant” and report “suspicious movement” using a special hotline.
