Truck Carnage at Berlin Xmas Market: Suspect still at large

A Pakistani asylum-seeker suspected of ploughing a lorry into a Berlin Christmas market, killing 12, was released yesterday for lack of evidence, leaving investigators to pursue their hunt for the real perpetrator of the massacre.

Meanwhile, the IS-linked Amaq news agency in a statement posted online yesterday said, "A soldier of the Islamic State carried out the Berlin operation in response to appeals to target citizens of coalition countries."

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"The accused, detained over the attack on the Berlin Christmas market on December 19, 2016, was let go on this evening on the orders of the federal prosecutor," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

"The forensic tests carried out so far did not provide evidence of the accused's presence during the crimes in the cab of the lorry."

The Pakistani man was arrested after Germany daily Die Welt said a witness saw the suspected driver jump out of the vehicle's cab and trailed the individual for about two kilometres (1.2 miles), tipping off police about his location.

But doubts had grown throughout the day over whether the suspect held in custody overnight actually committed the atrocity, sparking fears of a killer on the run.

Berlin's police chief Klaus Kandt had earlier said "we may have a dangerous criminal in the area", and announced that security would be boosted while urging "heightened vigilance".

Investigators asked the public to send them any photos and video footage.

Swiss police officers hold a blanket to cover a dead body found near a Muslim prayer hall, central Zurich, on Monday, after three people were injured by gunfire. Photo: AFP

Twelve people were killed when the truck tore through the crowd Monday, smashing wooden stalls and crushing victims, in scenes reminiscent of July's deadly attack in the French Riviera city of Nice.

Another 48 people were injured, 24 of whom were released from hospital by late Tuesday.

The mangled truck came to a halt with its windscreen smashed, a trail of destruction and screaming victims in its wake, with Christmas trees toppled on their side.

Chancellor Angela Merkel -- who visited the scene of the carnage for a minute's silence and then joined a memorial service in the adjacent Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church -- labelled the deadly rampage a likely "terrorist" attack.

A Muslim man prays at a makeshift memorial for the Berlin truck attack victims in Berlin, yesterday. Photo: AFP

Merkel said that, if it was confirmed that the killer had been part of the country's recent refugee influx, this would be "particularly sickening in relation to the many, many Germans who are involved every day in helping refugees".

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the Pakistani being held had insisted he was innocent and had not surfaced on any terror watch lists.

The Polish-registered vehicle, which was loaded with steel beams, had cut a bloody swathe of 60-80 metres (yards) into the market in the once-divided city's inner west.

At least six of those killed were German citizens, authorities said, while countries from Israel to Spain said their nationals were among those injured in the busy tourist spot.

A Polish man, killed with a gunshot, was found on the truck's passenger seat, said de Maiziere. He was believed to be the vehicle's registered driver.

The Polish owner of the lorry, Ariel Zurawski, confirmed Monday that the driver -- his 37-year-old cousin -- was missing, telling AFP: "We don't know what happened to him... I've known him since I was a kid. I can vouch for him."

Survivors recounted harrowing stories of near misses and carnage as festive partying turned to death and destruction in seconds.

And police inspect the truck that killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more. Photo: AFP

Briton Emma Rushton was enjoying a glass of mulled wine when the Christmas scene was shattered by a loud crash and screams.

"We heard a really loud bang and saw some of the Christmas lights to our left starting to be pulled down," she told Sky news.

"Then we saw the articulated vehicle going through people and through the stalls and just pulling everything down, and then everything went dark."

German flags flew at half-mast yesterday and mourners placed flowers and candles at the site.

As darkness fell, Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate was lit in the German colours black, red and gold in honour of the victims.

The government declared that the city's 60-odd Christmas markets -- after a one-day voluntary stoppage out of respect for the victims -- should continue because "we must not let our free way of life be taken from us".

Europe has been on high alert for most of 2016, with bloody jihadist attacks striking Paris and Brussels.

Germany also suffered two attacks in July in the southern state of Bavaria committed by asylum seekers and claimed by the Islamic State group.

An axe rampage by an Afghan or Pakistani man on a train wounded five people, and a suicide bombing by Syrian asylum seeker left 15 people injured six days later.

The arrival of 890,000 refugees last year has polarised Germany, with critics calling the influx a serious security threat.

Marcus Pretzell of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party labelled the Christmas market victims "Merkel's dead".