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Lorry kills twelve at Christmas market in Berlin


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10 minutes ago, elijah said:

No camera/footage of the driver? In a christmas market? Sounds fishy to me!

It was over in a few seconds and people were busy running for cover to not be run over. I don't think there is CCTV from the Christmas market. CCTV is a hot button issue in Germany. People are extremely protective of their privacy. I think police is checking recordings from cameras that are surveying the street traffic. Furthermore the police has asked the public to provide photos and video that may show something. Also, the German police and intelligence agencies are always very careful about any information they release or before they jump to conclusions. That also explains why yesterday it was not immediately confirmed that this was a terrorist attack and why officials didn't want to rule out the possibility of an accident.

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4 minutes ago, elijah said:

What about witnesses? Cameras from the traffic? The driver did flee the scene, right? So there must be cameras with footage somewhere!

It's an ongoing investigation. It happened roughly 24 hours ago. And I'm sure officials are talking to witnesses and checking footage that is available as we speak.

The last thing what I have heard is that the truck was hitting the emergency lane of the square that is reserved for fire department and paramedics. This means the attack was highly planned. It also means that concrete barriers and comparable measures would have been useless.

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Berlin attack: So-called Islamic State claims responsibility

So-called Islamic State (IS) has said one of its militants carried out the lorry attack on a Berlin Christmas market, which left 12 people dead.

The identity of the attacker has not been established and there was no immediate way of verifying the claim.

German prosecutors have freed the only suspect, citing insufficient evidence. He was identified by media only as Pakistani national Naved B.

Officials suggested that a perpetrator or perpetrators might be on the run.

IS said through its news agency that one of its "soldiers" had carried out the attack, in which 49 people were also injured, "in response to calls to target nationals of the coalition countries".

German Interior Minister Thomas De Maiziere reacted cautiously to the claim, saying "several lines of investigation" were being pursued.

Before the suspect was released late on Tuesday, German officials said they could not be sure if he was involved in the attack.

Federal prosecutor Peter Frank told reporters that the style of attack and the choice of target suggested Islamic extremism.

In other developments:

  • The UN Security Council condemned "the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack", saying "any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed"
  • Real Madrid and Brose Bamberg basketball players observed a minute's silence for the victims before their Euroleague game at Sports Palace of Madrid
  • Police stepped up patrols at Christmas markets in cities across the world

The IS claim does not prove much in terms of the attack in Berlin. The group often refers to individuals who carry out attacks as its "soldiers" but the crucial question is firstly whether the individual had any form of direct contact with IS.

Face-to-face or online communication are possible but far from certain. If there was no direct contact, it could still be the case that an individual was inspired rather than directed by the group.

In this case, an individual may leave his or her own pledge of allegiance in written form or online or in a video.

But until such evidence emerges, it remains hard to know if this is just an opportunistic claim by the group rather than one based on real substance.

The sole suspect was captured in a park after reportedly fleeing the scene and being tracked by a member of the public, who alerted the police.

The lorry's original driver, Polish citizen Lukasz Urban, was found dead on the passenger seat, reportedly with gunshot and stab wounds to his body. No gun was recovered.

Among those who suffered injuries in the attack was Inaki Ellakuria, a 21-year-old student from Spain, the Associated Press news agency reports.

"I heard the truck crashing against the first stall..." he tweeted, only minutes after the vehicle ran over dozens of shoppers. "It came fast, too fast to be driving off the road accidentally."

Later he tweeted (in Spanish): "It hurts every time I think about it. I didn't think I was going to overcome the pain."

On Tuesday, he underwent surgery at a hospital in Berlin for the broken tibia and fibula on his left leg. He also has broken bones in his right ankle and instep, as well as damage to his hip, but he is recovering well, according to his relatives.

Commemoration

A vigil has been held at the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, next to the Breitscheidplatz Christmas market which was attacked.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel vowed to punish those responsible for the attack "as harshly as the law requires".

She expressed concern that the attacker might turn out to be an asylum seeker: "I know that it would be particularly difficult for us all to bear if it turned out that the person who committed this act was someone who had sought protection and asylum in Germany."

Her open-door policy on migration, which saw 890,000 asylum seekers arrive in Germany last year, has divided the country, with critics calling it a security threat.

The co-leader of Germany's anti-immigration AfD party, Frauke Petry, blamed Mrs Merkel's liberal policy on migrants, saying: "The milieu in which such acts can flourish has been negligently and systematically imported over the past year and a half."

For Angela Merkel the legacy of the Berlin attack will be political. It is not clear who the perpetrator was. But if it proves to be someone who came as a refugee she will face more pressure. She has stuck to her welcoming policy towards refugees fleeing war and persecution, and a majority of Germans have continued to back her.

But Mrs Merkel's political opponents, notably the far right Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD), have attacked her again following the Berlin attack, saying she has compromised Germany's security by letting in people without knowing who they are.

It is a charge they will seek to press as Germany gears up for federal elections next year. The AfD had surged in regional elections this year. But Germany's main parties have all said they will shun any question of sharing power with the AfD.

And Angela Merkel has seen her support rise in recent polls. It is why the issue of who carried out the Berlin attack is vital for Mrs Merkel and her vision of a free, open Germany.

Monday's incident mirrored the lorry attack on Bastille Day crowds in the French city of Nice on 14 July, which was also claimed by IS.

Both IS and al-Qaeda have urged their followers to use vehicles as a means to attack crowds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38385961

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In my mind - and I know this will probably be a very unpopular and criticised opinion - these terrorist attacks in Europe don't necessarily mean they've been all carried out by ISIS or anti west Islamists. Maybe members of the far right parties have a hand in them. I know it's all conspiracy theories and I'd like people here to take them as such but history has taught us how the truth could be very well different from what we are supposed to think. The biggest examples are the fire of the parliament building in Berlin in 1933 and the burning of Rome in 64 AD. The Nazi party blamed the communists & socialists and Nero blamed the Christians. In truth they were both innocent and they only got blamed to raise hate and suspicion against them. It's very telling how all the leaders of far right parties always use these events to fit their agenda and call for more authority under their names. Just saying...

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I just see much of these scary attacks happening across Europe because of the refugee problem. I knew It was especially going to take place sooner of later in Germany. Seems like Merkel could've handled situation differently while still trying to help the most vulnerable. 

Hoping that overwhelming majority of innocent refugees who are already in Europe receive assistance while assholes don't take advantage of countries tolerance and generosity. 

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15 hours ago, Nick said:

I just see much of these scary attacks happening across Europe because of the refugee problem. I knew It was especially going to take place sooner of later in Germany. Seems like Merkel could've handled situation differently while still trying to help the most vulnerable. 

Hoping that overwhelming majority of innocent refugees who are already in Europe receive assistance while assholes don't take advantage of countries tolerance and generosity. 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/truth-berlin-christmas-market-terror-9500721

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On 12/20/2016 at 6:10 PM, MeakMaker said:

In my mind - and I know this will probably be a very unpopular and criticised opinion - these terrorist attacks in Europe don't necessarily mean they've been all carried out by ISIS or anti west Islamists. Maybe members of the far right parties have a hand in them. I know it's all conspiracy theories and I'd like people here to take them as such but history has taught us how the truth could be very well different from what we are supposed to think. The biggest examples are the fire of the parliament building in Berlin in 1933 and the burning of Rome in 64 AD. The Nazi party blamed the communists & socialists and Nero blamed the Christians. In truth they were both innocent and they only got blamed to raise hate and suspicion against them. It's very telling how all the leaders of far right parties always use these events to fit their agenda and call for more authority under their names. Just saying...

So... could the Russian hacking of the DNC server have been an inside job then? 

Helena-Bonham-Carter-Gif-Eating-Wonderin

 

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22 hours ago, mnino said:

So... could the Russian hacking of the DNC server have been an inside job then? 

Helena-Bonham-Carter-Gif-Eating-Wonderin

 

Very possibly. Most politicians are liars and opportunistic.. they're all seeking power and money. I wouldn't be shocked at all if they're somehow involved. Plenty of times they use huge tragedies to turn it into an opportunity to be elected or come to/stay in power. History is full of those examples. People are just comfortable believing what they're told because it's more convenient for them to dissect "the given enemy" but truly when we think of it aren't all these problems we as humans face everyday strategically used by them as to say "vote for me"or "stand by my side and I ll solve all your problems"? And why the need to create opponents? Shouldn't politics benefit anyone not just the people who support a certain ideology or politician? Wouldn't it better for them to all get along and work together for the future and prosperity of the planet? I truly have no faith in politics.. let alone politicians. Of course some are better than others and in the past we truly had remarkable men who had the love for the people but lately seems like the authentic ones ( Bernie for example) never get the chance to go far; it's  somewhat frustrating.

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Calls for Polish truck driver killed in Berlin to receive order of merit

Łukasz Urban was found shot dead in the cabin of the truck after the attack, which killed another 11 people and left dozens more injured. Investigators who have analysed the wounds on Urban’s body believe he must have fought with the hijacked vehicle’s driver until the moment the juggernaut ploughed into the busy Christmas market in Breitscheidplatz, possibly in an attempt to change the truck’s course and avoid further loss of life.

After initially heading straight down a busy lane on the northern edge of the Christmas market by the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church, the truck took a left turn and came to a standstill outside the market.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/dec/22/berlin-christmas-market-attack-polish-truck-driver-lukasz-urban-germany-order-merit

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1 hour ago, Love Spent said:

Berlin

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she just thought it is ridiculous to just wave a flag for celebrations of her party winning - which I think is totally true

 

and yeah there are morons using ANYTHING they can to throw shit against her - to get there right wing agenda through - something most Germans luckily know filed big time already some years go - but oh well ...

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WHAT? Why is it ridiculous to wave your country's flag after your party just won to govern that country? Explain this to me.

Face it, that woman is strange. 

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maybe it is a german centric perspective I have, but I personally think it is nice to wave flags if a national team won, or on national holidays or such (which I do myself), but just for a party celebration I honestly think it is not the right time to do that. I guess it i just a result of all the years, when we learn from young age what our nation did as bad stuff. Thus sometimes pure bride for your nation just based on the lucky circumstance to be born here isn't the right thing to do.

And at that particular moment of the gif, when she was standing there, these men around her sang a song (totally out of tune) . Then she was given a tiny flag to show how happy she is (also about them doing the bad Karaoke).   I personally would have also thought, well better not to wave flag while my colleagues do bad Karaoke (which you don't hear without sound), as that particular circumstance would make it ridiculous.

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