Deadly attack in Christmas Market in Germany

A large truck rushed to the crowd enjoying Christmas shopping in Berlin on Monday night, a week before Christmas, killing at least 12 people and injuring 48, the Associated Press reported. It appears to be a terrorist attack targeting civilians.

The truck drove into the crowd in the Christmas market on Breitscheidplatz in western Berlin, which started selling Christmas trees and ornaments about a month before Christmas. Witnesses say that the truck rammed into the market at the speed of 65 kilometers per hour and kept going 50 to 80 meters. It kept hitting people and stands and finally stopped after hitting a three-meter high Christmas tree.

The German government did not say that it was a terrorist attack but suspects a terrorist attack as federal prosecutors handling terrorism cases took over the investigation. When the Islamic State mounted an attack in the southern French city of Nice on July 14, the terrorists used a large truck.

The truck driver is suspected to be a refugee from Afghanistan or Pakistan. Local media outlets reported that it is not easy to identify the driver as he used multiple names. The person who is suspected to have been in the passenger seat (dead) is Polish and the truck is registered in Poland.

The nightmarish attack in Europe’s largest Christmas market shocked the citizens. Jurgen Muller said to the Associated Press, “The brightest and warmest time in a year turned in the cruelest time. We understand the situation of Syrian refugees but we have a bigger terrorist treat as they increased in numbers. The accident must have been led by the Islamic State,” Thomas Gunter said. “Only the Islamic State group or a religious extremists can commit such crime against the Christmas market when Christmas is just around the corner. It has become the saddest Christmas ever.”

The IS has publicly emphasized that it would attack Christian facilities and believers. If the IS claims its responsibility for the attack, Europe including Germany may be in fear again about terrorist attacks by the Islamic extremist group.

Germany, which accepted Syrian refugees unlike other European nations, is likely to be divided over the refugee issues. German Chancellor Angela Merkel who opened Germany’s doors to refugees will hit hard. In contrast, AfD, an extremist political party, which has called for regulating accepting immigrants, is likely to succeed in the next general election.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who often criticized Islamic extremism, said that the accident is a massacre by an Islamic terrorist, even though the suspect has not been identified yet. He issued a statement, saying, “The Islamic State group and other Islamist terrorists continually slaughter Christians. These terrorists and their regional and worldwide networks must be eradicated from the face of the earth."

Se-Hyung Lee turtle@donga.com