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BERLIN LORRY ATTACK

German politicians ‘were warned about terrorist NINE months before he massacred 12 at Christmas market’

Authorities in Duesseldorf were sent letter by State Criminal Office saying Anis Amri was a ‘sucicide attack threat who should be deported from Germany’

EVIDENCE has emerged in Germany that politicians were warned nine months before Berlin's Christmas market massacre that Islamic State disciple Anis Amri was plotting carnage.

The State Criminal Office in North Rhine-Westphalia made Tunisian-born Amri's lethal intentions known to authorities in March 2016.

 The Christmas market massacre in Berlin led to the deaths of 12 people
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The Christmas market massacre in Berlin led to the deaths of 12 peopleCredit: EPA

But the bogus asylum seeker remained at large until December 19 when he hijacked a Polish lorry and drove it into a crowd of revellers in Berlin, killing 12 and injuring dozens more.

Amri, 24, fled across Europe to Milan in Italy where he was shot dead by police five days later.

It was known that Amri had moved in and out of the radar of police and intelligence services during his time in Germany.

 It has emerged that the authorities were warned about Amri nine months before
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It has emerged that the authorities were warned about Amri nine months beforeCredit: Getty Images

But now a letter has surfaced written in March last year to the ministry of the interior of the state parliament in Duesseldorf which stated: "Amri presents a threat in the form of a suicide attack. The commission of a terrorist attack by Amri is expected."

The letter went on to suggest deporting him and contained evidence of a tapped phone conversation in he had in February in which Amri used the word 'Dougma' - a metaphor, say German spies, that Islamists use to mean a suicide bombing.

The deportation was never arranged because the North Rhine-Westphalian authorities concluded came that expulsion was unenforceable.

And besides, Amri,24, claimed to have no passport and Germany could not send him home because Tunisia denied he was a citizen until the day after the killings.

 Dozens of market-goers were also injured by the lorry used by the terrorist
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Dozens of market-goers were also injured by the lorry used by the terroristCredit: Getty Images

Even after the attack, regional Interior Minister Ralf Jäger several times said it was not "legally possible" to order a deportation.

The new details are a further embarrassment to the government whose intelligence services are struggling to contain terror threats from Islamic fanatics who smuggled themselves into the country disguised as refugees.

Jäger, a left wing politician, has been blasted as a security risk for Germany by rival conservatives for failing to pass on the details of the threat.

Armin Laschet, chief of the CDU conservatives in the state, said: "He presents a risk for everyone in Germany." The Liberal FDP party is calling for his resignation.

Jäger will testify before a parliamentary committee of inquiry on Wednesday about his failure to act on the police warning.


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