Four people have reportedly been arrested in Germany as a Europe-wide search continues for the suspected Berlin attacker.

Armed police stormed a house in Dortmund early on Thursday morning, detaining four people inside, Bild reported. The newspaper published photos of officers at the scene and taking a suspect covered in a towel into custody.

They were believed to have links to Anis Amri, a 24-year-old Tunisian man being hunted across Europe following the massacre at a Christmas market in Berlin.

A spokesperson for Germany's Federal Public Prosecutor, which is leading the terror investigation, said the report was "totally false".

But officials at North Rhine-Westphalia police did not deny the operation took place and The Independent understands more details may be released later.

Amri has been linked to an Islamist network in the region and is thought to have followed a Dortmund-based extremist called Boban S, who was arrested earlier this year for supporting Isis.

Residents living near Boban S' former home told Ruhr Nachrichten they recognised Amri, last seeing him around 10 months ago.

Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Show all 18 1 /18 Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Several people have been killed after a lorry drove into crowds at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch Berlin Christmas market lorry attack 'At least nine' people have been killed and more than 50 injured. AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency Services rush a Berlin market victim to an ambulance Associated Press Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Police cordoned off the square at Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church following the incident REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers inspect the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market close to the Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church in Berlin EPA Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Emergency crews inspect the lorry that ploughed into a Berlin Christmas market, killing at least nine people AFP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Fire crews attend the scene of the attack AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Armed police secure the site of a lorry attack at a Christmas market in Berlin REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Crushed debris is visible beneath the wheels of the vehicle REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack An injured man is pushed to an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Medics attend an injured person after the lorry attack which killed at least nine and injured more than 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters examine the lorry which was rammed into a Berlin Christmas market REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack A person is carried into an ambulance REUTERS Berlin Christmas market lorry attack View of the lorry that crashed into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing at least nine and injuring at least 50 people AFP/Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Rescue workers push a person on a stretcher to an ambulance Getty Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters assess the damage after the lorry rammed the Christmas market, killing 'at least nine', and injuring more than 50 people AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Firefighters stand beside a toppled Christmas tree at the site of the suspected terrorist attack in a Berlin Christmas market AP Berlin Christmas market lorry attack Damaged stalls at the scene of the incident at a Berlin Christmas market where at least nine people have been killed EPA

The suspect has also been linked to a hate preacher in Hildesheim known as Abu Walaa, who was detained last month as part of a group radicalising Isis militants and sending them to Syria.

Migrant accommodation where Amri formerly lived in Emmerich has also been searched by police, who did not give details of the operation.

The Tunisian suspect had his asylum claim denied by Germany but could not be deported because the necessary paperwork proving his nationality was missing.

As well as using at least six aliases, Amri used fake identity documents and claimed to be Egpytian or Lebanese at various points as he travelled around Germany after arriving in July 2015.

He was the subject of a previous investigation over a possible terror plot and was put under surveillance in March, but the operation was ended in September because of a lack of evidence.

Prosecutors are offering a €100,000 (£85,000) reward for information leading to Amri's arrest, warning people not to approach the “violent and armed” suspect.

There were fears the attacker could pose a further danger to Germany after killing 12 people and injuring around 50 more on Monday.