Munich gunman Ali David Sonboly worshipped Adolf Hitler and saw it as an 'honour' that he shared the same birthday as the Nazi leader, it has been revealed.

Sonboly, 18, shot nine people dead at a shopping centre in the southern German city on Friday before turning his handgun on himself.

The German-Iranian considered himself 'Aryan' and had built up resentment against Arabs and Turks, who, it is claimed, bullied him at school.

Munich gunman Ali David Sonboly (pictured) worshipped Adolf Hitler and shared the same birthday as the Nazi leader, it has been revealed

It has now emerged that the teenager took the fact that he was born on the same day of the year as Hitler (pictured) - April 20 - as an 'honour'

It has now emerged that the teenager took the fact that he was born on the same day of the year as Hitler - April 20 - as an 'honour'.

The Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper said he was a racist who held extreme right wing views about foreigners and minorities.

Sonboly Iranian parents and held an Iranian as well as German passport.

Many of his victims in the bloodbath were of foreign origin and there are investigations into whether he deliberately targeted them.

A video emerged of the killer on the roof of a car park after the shootings in which he was insulted by a local from his balcony as being an immigrant, prompting him to shout back: 'I am German! I was born here!'

Police say the teenager was obsessed with mass killings - including Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik's 2011 massacre - and spent a year preparing for the shooting spree.

At least 35 people were also wounded during Sonboly's attack, which began at a McDonald's restaurant and ended with him turning his 9mm Glock pistol on himself.

Investigators have ruled out any link with ISIS jihadists, although he appeared to have planned the assault with chilling precision for a year.

Many of his victims in the bloodbath were of foreign origin and there are investigations into whether he deliberately targeted them. Young people are pictured mourning near the scene of the killings

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the tragedy had plunged Germany into 'deep and profound mourning' that left a 'night of horror' lying behind the people of Munich

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the tragedy had plunged Germany into 'deep and profound mourning' that left a 'night of horror' lying behind the people of Munich.

The lone killer, an 18-year-old German-Iranian named in reports as Ali Sonboly, is thought to have attempted to lure victims to a McDonald's opposite the mall with a fake Facebook profile promising free food.

It is unclear if those who died or were injured when he opened fire with a pistol had been enticed by message that is being probed by police.

Among the dead were two 14-year-old Kosovan girls, Armela Segashi and Sabina Sulaj, and their Turkish friends Can Leyla, 14 and Selcuk Kilic, 15, according to reports.

A 17-year-old named in reports as Hussein Daitzik, of Greek origin, is said to have been shot dead as he heroically shielded his sister.