warns Germany twice before Monday's deadly attack

Morocco had warned Germany against an imminent threat twice before Monday's deadly market attack in Berlin, local media reported Saturday.

Citing a high ranking security source, the Moroccan daily Assabah said that the Moroccan security services warned their German counterparts on Sept. 19 and Oct. 11 against a potential terrorist attack by year end.

The source revealed that the main suspect, identified as Tunisian national Anis Amri, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group about a year ago and had been plotting the attack with an IS-linked Russian and several other Moroccans since June.

Earlier Friday, the Italian government announced that Amri was shot dead by police during a routine patrol in Milan.

The suspect opened fire at two police officers who had stopped him for his identification near a train station. Amri was killed and one policeman injured during the shootout.

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere confirmed Friday the death of Anis Amri, who drove a truck into a crowded Christmas market on Monday, killing 12 and wounding 48 others. 

source: Xinhua