Backlash Swells in Germany as Hunt for Terrorist Ends Tunisian migrant Anis Amri is killed in shootout near Milan; Angela Merkel faces mounting pressure over migrants By Anton Troianovski in Berlin and Eric Sylvers in Milan
http://www.wsj.com/articles/berlin-truck-attack-suspect-killed-in-shootout-in-milan-government-official-says-1482487426
The hunt for the suspect in the deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market ended before dawn Friday in a shootout with Italian police near Milan, but the political fallout was just beginning to gather force.
Anis Amri, a Tunisian, lived in Germany for more than a year, despite having been previously jailed in Italy and denied asylum in both nations. Even as Europe’s most-wanted man, he traveled hundreds of miles this week, crossing at least two European Union borders on his way to Italy, where police stopped him to check his identity.
Chancellor Angela Merkel responded to mounting pressure Friday over her approach to migrants and national security as she readies for a re-election battle next year.
“The Amri case raises a series of questions, not just about the deed itself but also about the time since he came to Germany,” she said. “We will now examine with urgency to what degree state practices must be changed.”
Police in multiple countries were working Friday to figure out how Amri, who authorities said had train tickets from France, made his escape and whether he had help.
“I am very relieved that there is no more danger stemming from this perpetrator,” German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière said, but he added that authorities would continue hunting for any accomplices. As of late Friday, police hadn’t disclosed any additional arrests.
Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. The terror group’s official Amaq news agency posted a video of a man it said was Amri urging followers to kill “crusaders.” The man strongly resembled photos of Amri released by German police.
On Friday U.S. President-elect Donald Trump tweeted: “Such hatred! When will the U.S., and all countries, fight back?”
German authorities have come under heavy criticism for failing to stop Amri. He was flagged as having been radicalized, but the country’s overtaxed security services dropped intensive surveillance of him earlier this year after failing to find enough evidence to make him a high-priority target.
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