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An HGV truck drove at speed into a crowd of shoppers killing 12 and injuring dozens of people in Breitscheidplatz, west Berlin, on Monday.

Klaus Bouillon, chairman of the interior ministerial conference, announced that Germany is now in a “state of war” as ISIS claim responsibility for the attack, according to reports.

He added that Germany will do whatever it takes to keep its people safe, including the use of “long-range weapons, short weapons, machine guns.”

The chairwoman of the German populist party, AfD, Franke Petry, announced: “Germany is no longer safe”.

Angela Merkel said it was a “difficult day” for Germany and that she was “shocked” by the horrific “terrorist attack”.

She added that the crime with “be especially hard for us all to bear if it were confirmed that the person who committed this act was someone who sought protection and asylum.”

Mrs Merkel claimed that the perpetrator will be “punished as harshly as the law allows”.

A man named as Naved B, a 23-year-old Pakistani asylum seeker who arrived in Germany on New Year's Eve last year, has been arrested.

But he has denied involvement and security sources have since told Die Welt newspaper that the attacker remains at large, armed and ready to carry out more devastation.

The perpetrator is thought to have hijacked a truck in Poland and driven it across the border.

(Image: REUTERS)

Naved B was arrested around 2km away after fleeing the scene of devastation and has denied the allegations.

He was already known to police for other criminal offences, German officials announced.

Angela Merkel has been severely criticised for her “open door” policy which welcomed thousands of asylum seekers into Germany.

A raid has been carried out by commando forces at a hanger in the old Tempelhof Airport which is being used as a refugee centre, but no arrests have been made.

(Image: REUTERS)

It is thought that Naved B had been staying in the refugee housing in the old Nazi airport and was allegedly already known to police for minor criminal offences.

Germany is now on high alert following the attacks, and Christmas markets are to remain closed today, the interior ministry announced.

The US warned ISIS terrorists were planning an attack on Christmas markets in Europe last month.

Germany has seen a number of terror attacks or suspected terror attacks this year.

(Image: REUTERS)

In February a 15-year-old girl named Safia S stabbed a policeman at Hamburg’s central station, claiming she was operating on behalf of ISIS.

In June three Syrians were arrested in Düsseldorf, charged with planning an attack.

In July a 17-year-old refugee from Afghanistan stabbed passengers on a train in Duisburg, seriously injuring four tourists from Hong Kong.

A few days later a 27-year-old Syrian detonated an explosive vest at a music festival in Ansbach killing himself and injuring 15 people.