Berlin attack suspect shot dead by police near Milan

Earlier this week, German officials admitted that Amri had been under surveillance for several months this year prior to the attack.

Amri pulled a gun from his backpack after being asked to show his identification, with the officers initially unaware of who he was.

Minniti said the injuries sustained by the police officer who was shot are not life-threatening.

Media reports said asylum office papers believed to belong to the Tunisian man were found in the cab of the 40-tonne lorry used in the attack that killed 12 people.

Footage has emerged of the truck as it sped towards the market on Monday night moments as the Berlin terror attack unfolded.

Anis Amri piqued the interest of USA officials after it was discovered he had researched the construction of explosive devices and communicated with ISIS leaders on at least one occasion via the group’s Telegram Messenger, officials told The New York Times.

At least 12 people have died, including the original driver of the truck, a Polish citizen identified as 37-year-old Lukasz Urban, whom authorities said did not steer the semi-trailer truck into the public plaza.

Amri spent at last three years in an Italian jail after being arrested as a juvenile in connection with a fire started at a center for migrants. Eighty-six people were killed, and the driver was shot dead by police.

Authorities across Europe werescrambling to find the 24-year-old suspect, a day after Germany issued a wanted notice for him and warned that he may be “violent and armed”. In July 2015, Amri headed to Germany.

Amri’s brother Abdelkader wept as he said: “My brother is dead”.

“It is very important for us to determine whether there was a network of accomplices.in the preparation or the execution of the attack, or the flight of the suspect”, he said.

Germany’s top prosecutor, Peter Frank, told reporters before the IS claim that the attack was reminiscent of the Nice rampage and appeared to follow instructions published by IS. Around 200 police officials are reportedly present, including members of a special unit, and are searching through the shelter, according to Welt.de. Minniti said the officers involved in the shootout “have done an extraordinary service to our community”.

France’s Interior Minister Bruno Le Roux said on Tuesday they were tracking dozens of people considered potentially unsafe. Police said he traveled to Italy from Germany via France, taking advantage of Europe’s open-border Schengen pact to cross the continent undetected. He was later granted “toleration” status to remain in Germany legally.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, PM Szydło said that she had sent a message of condolence to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Germany’s security service is under pressure after Amri launched the attack despite being on the radar of multiple intelligence agencies for his alleged ties to the Islamic extremists.