Germany must expect attacks, possibly from "lone wolves" - interior minister

Germany faces attacks by Islamist "lone wolves" similar to that carried out by a 17-year old refugee who attacked train passengers with an axe, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Wednesday (July 20).

"Like several EU countries, like the whole EU, Germany is also in the target area of international terrorism. Therefore, I have said for a long time, the situation is serious. In Germany too we must expect attacks from small groups and radicalised individuals," de Maiziere told reporters in Berlin.

The young man, who attacked passengers on a train in Bavaria on Monday night (July 18) entered Germany last summer with a wave of migrants, officials said on Tuesday (July 19), raising more questions about Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door refugee policy.

"We cannot say that there is no link between refugees and terrorism. But the danger was high before - I mentioned the examples - and it remains high, independently of the question of refugees," de Maiziere said.

The 17-year-old, who a witness said shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is Great) during the attack, severely wounded four Hong Kong residents on the train late on Monday, then injured a local woman after fleeing, before police shot him dead.

De Maiziere added that there was some indication that the train attacker was from Pakistan rather than Afghanistan, as previously thought.