The Tunisian man who killed 12 people last month by plowing a truck into a Berlin Christmas market had lived under at least 14 different names in Germany, a regional police chief said on Thursday, raising more questions about security lapses.
Anis Amri, shot dead by Italian police in Milan on Dec. 23, had been marked as a potential threat by authorities in the western federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)in February 2016, some six months after he arrived in Germany and applied for asylum.
"He acted in a conspiratorial manner and used various personalities," Dieter Schuermann, head of the NRW Criminal Police Unit, told the regional parliament during a briefing.
The 24-year-old divided his time between NRW and Berlin, where intelligence officials also classified him as a potential threat. But there was a consensus among security officials that he posed no concrete threat, Schuermann said.
An investigation into the attack is focusing on whether Amri had any accomplices.
Police arrested another Tunisian man in Berlin this week, who prosecutors say had dinner with Amri at an Arab restaurant in the capital one day before the attack on Dec. 19.
"INTENSIVE DISCUSSIONS"
A spokeswoman for the prosecution said on Wednesday that Amri and the arrested suspect, identified as 26-year-old Bilel A., had "very intensive discussions" at the restaurant on the eve of the attack.
The co-owner of the restaurant in north Berlin where the two allegedly met told Reuters on Thursday he had not been aware that Amri had dined at the premises until police came asking if they could have CCTV footage recorded on Dec. 18.
"No one who was here that night remembers seeing him," said the co-owner, declining to give his name and requesting the eatery not be named.
"We are so busy we hardly have time to breathe. The police said he was here between 8 and 9 p.m.," said the man, serving lunch as the restaurant began filling up.
At a shelter for migrants at the western end of Berlin where Bilel A. was arrested, refugees who said they knew Amri's suspected accomplice said he had always told them he was Libyan.
"The strangest thing about him was that he used to pray every day but most evenings he would go out to nightclubs with his friends," said Mohammad, a 21-year-old Syrian refugee who said he had shared a room at the shelter with Bilel A. six months ago before moving to another room at the facility.
Reuters
Fri Jan 06 2017

Anis Amri is seen in this photo taken from security cameras at Brussels North train station, Belgium, December 21, 2016. Federal Public Prosecutor's Office/Handout via Reuters

Public flips car involved in road accident to rescue child
According to JBPM, members of the public at the scene took initial action to rescue the victim before the fire brigade arrived.

Ramsay reveals hundreds of lucky cat statues stolen from new restaurant
Gordon Ramsay says about 477 Japanese cat models called maneki-neko were stolen from his Lucky Cat 22 Bishopsgate restaurant.

Zayn Rayyan case: Two child witnesses complete testimony today
So far, 20 prosecution witnesses, including the two children, have been called for this trial, according to the Deputy Public Prosecutor.

Macron says he will tell Trump not to be weak with Putin in Washington visit
Emmanuel Macron says showing any weakness to Russia's Vladimir Putin would make it harder to deal with China and Iran.

Israeli PM Netanyahu says Hamas will pay for not returning Shiri Bibas
Netanyahu accuse Hamas of acting "in an unspeakably cynical manner" by placing body of a Gaza woman in the coffin instead of Shiri Bibas.

Trump pulls US out of key global climate assessment, sources say
The US is a co-chair along with Malaysia of a working group on climate mitigation, or ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Japan to court Tesla on Nissan investment, FT reports
The group hopes Tesla will invest strategically, believing it's interested in acquiring Nissan's US plants, the report says.

185 children linked to GISB handed over to families - Exco
The children have been handed over to their families on bond with conditions by the court.

IRS fires 6,000 employees as Trump slashes US government
The move will eliminate roughly 6% of the agency's workforce in the midst of the busy tax-filing season.

Elon Musk wields chainsaw at conservative gathering, a gift from Argentina's Milei
This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy, says Elon Musk.
![[OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide [OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2025-02/41740112820_KhazarUniversity.jpg)
[OPINION] For never again the world must know more about the Khojaly genocide
For Azerbaijanis, the Khojaly genocide is more than a historical event - it is a collective trauma that shapes their identity and worldview.

Israeli military says body released by Hamas is not of a hostage
Two bodies were identified as infants, but a third, believed to be their mother, Shiri, didn't match any hostage and remains unidentified.

Key takeaways from Trump-Putin talks: Ukraine, energy, NATO, sanctions
Here's what is known so far about what was discussed.
![[COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights [COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-09/41726025526_UnitedNations.jpg)
[COLUMNIST] Whose rights? Islam, eurocentrism and the limits of human rights
For as long as rights are understood on Occidental terms, problems would inevitably remain. What is needed is an appreciation of diversity.

Argentina court clears 3 accused in singer Liam Payne's death
The court upheld the pre-trial detention of a hotel employee and a restaurant waiter held since last month.

Spanish ex-soccer boss Rubiales sentenced to pay fine over kiss without consent
Court also acquits Luis Rubiales' three co-defendants accused of attempting to coerce Jenni Hermoso into saying the kiss was consensual.

King’s health significantly improved after treatment - PM
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim says he had the opportunity to seek an audience with the King twice during his official visit to Bahrain.

Why Trump wants the US Department of Education shut down
The vast majority of US children attend the country's free public schools, which are a big employer and economic engine.

How did a jet flip upside down on a Toronto runway and everyone survive?
Here is what we know about this accident and similar crashes.

TIMELINE - Trump's remarks on plan to take over Gaza, displace Palestinians
The plan has been condemned globally, with Palestinians, Arab nations and rights experts saying it was tantamount to "ethnic cleansing."