NINE KILLED AFTER TRUCK PLOWS THROUGH BERLIN CHRISTMAS MARKET

A truck drove into a crowd at a Berlin Christmas market in Germany on Monday evening, killing nine and injuring several others.

The truck drove over the sidewalk and into market stalls in front of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, according to witnesses.

Police said they have since arrested a “suspicious person” near the market but it is not yet clear if he was the truck driver. A passenger in the truck was killed in the crash, police stated.

German authorities are still investigating whether the crash was an accident or a deliberate attack. However, the Islamic State and al-Qaida have encouraged their followers to use trucks in attacks on large crowds.

It would be recalled that on July 14, a truck crashed into a crowd in Nice, France, celebrating Bastille Day. The attack, for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility, left 86 people dead.

“The scene certainly looks like a reminder of what we have seen in Nice,” Julian Reichelt, editor-in-chief of Bild Berlin, told Reuters.

Just one month ago, the United States State Department urged caution in markets and other public spaces during the Christmas season, saying that the Islamic State and al-Qaida were focusing “on the upcoming holiday season and associated events.”

Barely three weeks ago, recall that there was a similar attack on a market in Yola, the Adamawa State Capital, which left about 32 persons dead.

It is important that we remain cautious especially in this yuletide season in places that are likely to attract crowds of people; that is, if we cannot avoid such places like the market.