The gunman suspected of killing three people and injuring 13 near Strasbourg’s Christmas Market served several terms in prison for armed robbery and is believed to have been radicalised in prison.

29-year-old Chérif Chekatt has been on France’s “S” file terrorist watch list since 2015, and his profile matches that of self-styled “jihadists” who have carried out other attacks in France.

Born in Strasbourg, he is a French citizen and has some 27 convictions in France, Germany and Switzerland to his name, according to Strasbourg's public prosecutor Rémy Heitz. In 2016, he was released from prison in Germany and, before the attack on Tuesday night, was wanted in connection with an attempted murder and an armed robbery, according to a source close to the investigation.

On Tuesday morning, police raided Mr Chekatt's home and found grenades, a .22 firearm and two hunting knives, but failed to capture him. Five associates were, however, detained.

The suspect lived alone in a rundown Strasbourg housing estate.

"His family has lived around here for a while, but he lived on his own nearby," Zach, 22, a resident of the Poteries district, told AFP. "He was discreet, not a thug.”