ISIS has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Berlin Christmas market.
The Berlin attacker was dubbed a “soldier of the Islamic State” in the Amaq News Agency, an Islamic State propaganda outlet, according to SITE Intel Group.
The claim comes just hours after German law enforcement released the Pakistani national they initially arrested in connection to the attack, which killed a dozen people and injured almost 50 more on Monday. The Islamic State statement adds that the attack was done in “response to appeals to target nationals of the international coalition,” according to a translation from the New York Times’ Rukmini Callimachi. “This is boilerplate ISIS,” she added.
The attack targeted a major cultural icon in Germany, which sees open air Christmas markets spring up around the country in December. It put additional political pressure on German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose political party has been under pressure for admitting hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees into the country.
“I know that it would be particularly difficult for all of us to bear if it is confirmed that this deed was carried out by a person who sought protection and asylum in Germany,” Merkel said.
Through it’s ‘Amaq News Agency, #ISIS claimed that the vehicular attacker in #Berlin #German is a “soldier of the Islamic State” pic.twitter.com/LZ7aJij3aG
— SITE Intel Group (@siteintelgroup) December 20, 2016
3) #Berlin #Germany attack marks 3rd vehicular attack claimed by #ISIS Amaq in recent months (others: #OhioState in Nove & #Nice in July)
— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) December 20, 2016
4) This is 1st ‘Amaq claim for a attacker while still alive; attackers in #France #Russia #America #Germany, etc. all killed prior to claim
— Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) December 20, 2016
