Senior German officials called today for a review of Germany&#39;s already strict gun laws after Friday&#39;s deadly shooting in Munich that claimed the lives of nine people and the gunman, a deranged 18-year-old who was obsessed with mass killings. 
 
&quot;Gun control is an important issue. We must continue to do all we can to limit and strictly control access to deadly weapons,&quot; German vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the centre-left Social Democrats, told Funke Mediengruppe, which owns a series of German newspapers. 
 
Gabriel said German authorities were investigating how the German-Iranian dual national had gained illegal access to the weapon - identified by police as a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol, the most widely used law enforcement weapon worldwide - despite signs that he had significant psychological issues. 
 
&quot;Clearly we will have to have a discussion in the near future about whether the current gun control laws are sufficient,&quot; said German lawmaker Stephan Mayer, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel&#39;s ruling conservatives in Parliament. 
 
&quot;The biggest priority is to combat the illegal arms trade since that could also reduce crime and terrorism,&quot; he said in a statement today. 
 
The gunman, named by German media as Ali David Sonboly, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, killing nine and wounding 35 more, before turning the gun on himself as police approached. 
 
The Munich shooting was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days. Officials said there were no signs of any links in this case to Islamist extremist groups. 
 
German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere, also a member of Merkel&#39;s Christian Democrats, told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper in an interview that he planned to review German gun laws after the attack, and seek improvements where needed. 
 
De Maiziere said German gun laws were already very strict, which he considered appropriate, and it was critical to understand how the shooter gained access to the pistol used. 
 
&quot;Then we have to evaluate very carefully if and where further legal changes are needed,&quot; he said in an interview published today. 
 
Mayer and De Maiziere also cited the current debate within the European Union about a package of reforms that would tighten gun controls within the bloc and make it easier to trace the origin of guns purchased legally. 
 
The proposed changes, which must still be enacted by EU member states, would also set more stringent rules for deactivating previously fully-functioning guns and making them available for sale as so-called decorations. 
 
Member states have different criteria for what does and does not constitute a deactivated weapon, a legal loophole exploited by criminals to import weapons that have only been superficially modified to appear non-functioning. 
 
The Glock 17 used by the Munich gunman, which police said had had its serial number filed away, was such a &quot;reactivated&quot; weapon from the Slovakia, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily reported today, citing law enforcement sources. 
 
Sonboly obtained the gun on the Internet, it said. 
 
(Reuters)

German interior minister said laws in Germany are already very strict and it is critical to understand how the shooter got the weapon

Senior German officials called today for a review of Germany's already strict gun laws after Friday's deadly shooting in Munich that claimed the lives of nine people and the gunman, a deranged 18-year-old who was obsessed with mass killings. "Gun control is an important issue. We must continue to do all we can to limit and strictly control access to deadly weapons," German vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, leader of the centre-left Social Democrats, told Funke Mediengruppe, which owns a series of German newspapers. Gabriel said German authorities were investigating how the German-Iranian dual national had gained illegal access to the weapon - identified by police as a 9 mm Glock 17 pistol, the most widely used law enforcement weapon worldwide - despite signs that he had significant psychological issues. "Clearly we will have to have a discussion in the near future about whether the current gun control laws are sufficient," said German lawmaker Stephan Mayer, a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling conservatives in Parliament. "The biggest priority is to combat the illegal arms trade since that could also reduce crime and terrorism," he said in a statement today. The gunman, named by German media as Ali David Sonboly, opened fire near a busy shopping mall on Friday evening, killing nine and wounding 35 more, before turning the gun on himself as police approached. The Munich shooting was the third act of violence against civilians in Western Europe - and the second in southern Germany - in eight days. Officials said there were no signs of any links in this case to Islamist extremist groups. German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere, also a member of Merkel's Christian Democrats, told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper in an interview that he planned to review German gun laws after the attack, and seek improvements where needed. De Maiziere said German gun laws were already very strict, which he considered appropriate, and it was critical to understand how the shooter gained access to the pistol used. "Then we have to evaluate very carefully if and where further legal changes are needed," he said in an interview published today. Mayer and De Maiziere also cited the current debate within the European Union about a package of reforms that would tighten gun controls within the bloc and make it easier to trace the origin of guns purchased legally. The proposed changes, which must still be enacted by EU member states, would also set more stringent rules for deactivating previously fully-functioning guns and making them available for sale as so-called decorations. Member states have different criteria for what does and does not constitute a deactivated weapon, a legal loophole exploited by criminals to import weapons that have only been superficially modified to appear non-functioning. The Glock 17 used by the Munich gunman, which police said had had its serial number filed away, was such a "reactivated" weapon from the Slovakia, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily reported today, citing law enforcement sources. Sonboly obtained the gun on the Internet, it said. (Reuters)

German officials urge close look at gun laws in wake of shooting

At least nine people were shot dead and 16 wounded at a Munich shopping mall on Friday by a German-Iranian teenager who later committed suicide, investigators say. 
 
The gunman had no links with the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, suffered depression and had an obsession with shooting sprees like the massacre five years ago by Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik.&nbsp;Here is what we know about the attack and the background against which it took place: 
 
 
What happened?&nbsp; 
 
The shooting began at a McDonald&#39;s fast-food restaurant at the Olympia shopping mall near Munich&#39;s Olympic stadium shortly before 1600 GMT on Friday. 
 
A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the restaurant while firing repeatedly on people as they fled. 
 
At least nine people were killed and 16 injured, of whom three are in critical condition, Munich police said. 
 
Kosovo said three of its citizens were among the fatalities, while Ankara said three Turks had died. It was not immediately clear if they had dual nationality. 
 
Most of the casualties are young people aged 15 to 21, Bavarian public television said. 
 
 
Manhunt&nbsp; 
 
Initially believing three gunmen were involved, the authorities launched a city-wide manhunt, mobilising more than 2,000 police supported by the elite GSG-9 anti-terrorist unit and helicopters. 
 
Munich&#39;s main train station was closed and public transport suspended for several hours.&nbsp;Investigators later found the body of the suspected shooter, who appears to have acted alone and then killed himself with a shot to the head. 
 
 
Who was the gunman?&nbsp; 
 
Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said the suspect was an 18-year-old dual-citizen German-Iranian from Munich.&nbsp;His name has not been made public.&nbsp;Investigations of his home and police files point to &quot;a classic act by a deranged person,&quot; Andrae said. 
 
&quot;There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State,&quot; he said, adding that the suspect had been obsessed with books and articles about mass killings &quot;linked to maniacs&quot;. 
 
He said German investigators have established an &quot;obvious link&quot; between Friday&#39;s shooting at a Munich mall and Breivik&#39;s mass killings on July 22, 2011. 
 
The city&#39;s chief prosecutor also said the suspect had suffered &quot;some form of depression&quot;, but voiced caution over reports he may have undergone psychiatric treatment. 
 
 
Wave of attacks&nbsp; 
 
The rampage is the latest in a string of jihadist attacks in western Europe but also on the fifth anniversary of the Breivik massacre that left 77 people dead. 
 
Four days earlier, a 17-year-old asylum-seeker, believed to be a &quot;lone wolf&quot; Afghan or Pakistani inspired by the IS, went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train in Bavaria, injuring five people, two of them critically. 
 
On July 14, Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel rammed a lorry into crowds enjoying a firework display on the seafront promenade in the French Riviera city of Nice, killing 84 people including children. 
 
It was the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months.&nbsp;The IS group also claimed suicide bomb attacks at Brussels airport and a city metro station in March that killed 32 people. 
 
 
Migrant influx&nbsp; 
 
The focus on the suspected shooter&#39;s motives and background takes place in the context of a fierce debate about Germany&#39;s asylum policy and integration of its immigrants. 
 
Bavaria, in particular, became the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers who have arrived in the last couple of years.&nbsp;Hate crimes and attacks against migrants exploded after arrivals, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, reached record levels in 2015. 
 
Some 923 offences against refugee shelters were reported in 2015 including 177 acts of violence, a sharp rise from the previous year, according to figures from the interior ministry. 
 
(AFP)

The 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman suffered from depression and had an obsession with shooting sprees. He had no links to the IS

At least nine people were shot dead and 16 wounded at a Munich shopping mall on Friday by a German-Iranian teenager who later committed suicide, investigators say. The gunman had no links with the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, suffered depression and had an obsession with shooting sprees like the massacre five years ago by Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik. Here is what we know about the attack and the background against which it took place: What happened? The shooting began at a McDonald's fast-food restaurant at the Olympia shopping mall near Munich's Olympic stadium shortly before 1600 GMT on Friday. A video posted on social media appeared to show a man dressed in black walking away from the restaurant while firing repeatedly on people as they fled. At least nine people were killed and 16 injured, of whom three are in critical condition, Munich police said. Kosovo said three of its citizens were among the fatalities, while Ankara said three Turks had died. It was not immediately clear if they had dual nationality. Most of the casualties are young people aged 15 to 21, Bavarian public television said. Manhunt Initially believing three gunmen were involved, the authorities launched a city-wide manhunt, mobilising more than 2,000 police supported by the elite GSG-9 anti-terrorist unit and helicopters. Munich's main train station was closed and public transport suspended for several hours. Investigators later found the body of the suspected shooter, who appears to have acted alone and then killed himself with a shot to the head. Who was the gunman? Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said the suspect was an 18-year-old dual-citizen German-Iranian from Munich. His name has not been made public. Investigations of his home and police files point to "a classic act by a deranged person," Andrae said. "There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State," he said, adding that the suspect had been obsessed with books and articles about mass killings "linked to maniacs". He said German investigators have established an "obvious link" between Friday's shooting at a Munich mall and Breivik's mass killings on July 22, 2011. The city's chief prosecutor also said the suspect had suffered "some form of depression", but voiced caution over reports he may have undergone psychiatric treatment. Wave of attacks The rampage is the latest in a string of jihadist attacks in western Europe but also on the fifth anniversary of the Breivik massacre that left 77 people dead. Four days earlier, a 17-year-old asylum-seeker, believed to be a "lone wolf" Afghan or Pakistani inspired by the IS, went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a regional train in Bavaria, injuring five people, two of them critically. On July 14, Tunisian Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel rammed a lorry into crowds enjoying a firework display on the seafront promenade in the French Riviera city of Nice, killing 84 people including children. It was the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months. The IS group also claimed suicide bomb attacks at Brussels airport and a city metro station in March that killed 32 people. Migrant influx The focus on the suspected shooter's motives and background takes place in the context of a fierce debate about Germany's asylum policy and integration of its immigrants. Bavaria, in particular, became the main gateway for hundreds of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers who have arrived in the last couple of years. Hate crimes and attacks against migrants exploded after arrivals, mostly from the Middle East and Africa, reached record levels in 2015. Some 923 offences against refugee shelters were reported in 2015 including 177 acts of violence, a sharp rise from the previous year, according to figures from the interior ministry. (AFP)

Munich mall shooting: what we know

Police were probing today the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. 
 
Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany&#39;s third largest city on Friday evening, before committing suicide. 
 
&quot;Bloodbath in Munich,&quot; was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper as shockwaves reverberated across the continent. 
 
The killing spree sent the southern city into lockdown as elite police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants. 
 
Chancellor to convene security council&nbsp; 
 
Chancellor Angela Merkel is to convene her security council today to address the shooting, which came just days after an axe rampage on a train in the same German state of Bavaria and just over a week after a truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice that killed 84 people. 
 
Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: &quot;Why?&quot; 
 
Police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters that the assailant was an 18-year-old dual national German-Iranian from Munich, who had no criminal record. 
 
&quot;The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear,&quot; he said. 
 
Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald&#39;s restaurant and continued along the street before entering the mall. 
 
A police patrol shot and wounded the gunman but he managed to escape, before police found the body of what they believed was the &quot;only shooter.&quot; 
 
Among the nine killed were three Kosovans, according to the foreign ministry in Pristina, while Munich police said the injured included children. 
 
Scenes of panic 
 
A video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from a McDonald&#39;s while firing repeatedly on people as they fled screaming. 
 
Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms. 
 
&quot;We entered McDonald&#39;s to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out,&quot; one woman told Bavarian television. 
 
Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof exchanging a tirade of insults with a man on a nearby balcony. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m German, I was born here,&quot; the assailant replies after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an offensive term for foreigners. 
 
Police initially believed there could be up to three assailants. 
 
But Andrae later said two others had &quot;absolutely nothing to do&quot; with the attack -- and that they were simply fleeing the scene. 
 
Munich&#39;s main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport suspended for several hours while residents were ordered to stay inside, leaving the streets largely deserted. 
 
Earlier this morning, transport services were running again. 
 
&#39;Europe stands united&#39;&nbsp; 
 
President Joachim Gauck said he was horrified by the &quot;murderous attack&quot;, while US President Barack Obama voiced staunch support for Washington&#39;s close ally. 
 
&quot;Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all German people. Europe stands united,&quot; EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Twitter. 
 
The attack came just days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people. 
 
Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere had said that assailant was believed to be a &quot;lone wolf&quot; who appeared to have been &quot;inspired&quot; by Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network. 
 
The train attack triggered calls by some politicians to impose an upper limit on the number of refugees coming into Germany, which accepted a record 1.1 million migrants and refugees last year, many through Bavaria. 
 
&#39;No security anywhere&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The Munich mall is near the stadium for the 1972 Olympics and the athletes&#39; village which was the site of the hostage-taking of Israeli athletes by the Palestinian Black September group that ended in a massacre. 
 
Europe has been on high alert for terrorism after a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by IS. 
 
&quot;It has reached us. People in Munich have long had a queasy feeling. Fears grew with every attack in Paris, Istanbul or Brussels,&quot; said the Abendzeitung newspaper&#39;s editor-in-chief Michael Schilling. 
 
&quot;There were particular concerns about the Oktoberfest. But since Friday it is clear that there can be no security anywhere, not even in the safest German city.&quot; 
 
The mall shooting occurred just eight days after 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people, including children, after a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months. 
 
In March, IS claimed suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a city metro station that left 32 people dead. 
 
In May, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man carried out a knife attack on a regional train in Bavaria, killing one person and injuring three others. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

Chancellor Angela Merkel is to convene her security council today to address the shooting which came days after Bastille Day attack

Police were probing today the motives of the lone teenage German-Iranian gunman who went on a deadly rampage at a busy Munich shopping centre, the third bloody attack on civilians in Europe in just over a week. Nine people were killed and another 16 wounded as the black-clad gunman brought terror to Germany's third largest city on Friday evening, before committing suicide. "Bloodbath in Munich," was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper as shockwaves reverberated across the continent. The killing spree sent the southern city into lockdown as elite police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants. Chancellor to convene security council Chancellor Angela Merkel is to convene her security council today to address the shooting, which came just days after an axe rampage on a train in the same German state of Bavaria and just over a week after a truck attack in the French Riviera city of Nice that killed 84 people. Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: "Why?" Police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters that the assailant was an 18-year-old dual national German-Iranian from Munich, who had no criminal record. "The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear," he said. Armed with a handgun, the attacker opened fire at a McDonald's restaurant and continued along the street before entering the mall. A police patrol shot and wounded the gunman but he managed to escape, before police found the body of what they believed was the "only shooter." Among the nine killed were three Kosovans, according to the foreign ministry in Pristina, while Munich police said the injured included children. Scenes of panic A video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from a McDonald's while firing repeatedly on people as they fled screaming. Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms. "We entered McDonald's to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out," one woman told Bavarian television. Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof exchanging a tirade of insults with a man on a nearby balcony. "I'm German, I was born here," the assailant replies after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an offensive term for foreigners. Police initially believed there could be up to three assailants. But Andrae later said two others had "absolutely nothing to do" with the attack -- and that they were simply fleeing the scene. Munich's main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport suspended for several hours while residents were ordered to stay inside, leaving the streets largely deserted. Earlier this morning, transport services were running again. 'Europe stands united' President Joachim Gauck said he was horrified by the "murderous attack", while US President Barack Obama voiced staunch support for Washington's close ally. "Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and all German people. Europe stands united," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Twitter. The attack came just days after a 17-year-old asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people. Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere had said that assailant was believed to be a "lone wolf" who appeared to have been "inspired" by Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network. The train attack triggered calls by some politicians to impose an upper limit on the number of refugees coming into Germany, which accepted a record 1.1 million migrants and refugees last year, many through Bavaria. 'No security anywhere' The Munich mall is near the stadium for the 1972 Olympics and the athletes' village which was the site of the hostage-taking of Israeli athletes by the Palestinian Black September group that ended in a massacre. Europe has been on high alert for terrorism after a string of attacks in neighbouring France and Belgium claimed by IS. "It has reached us. People in Munich have long had a queasy feeling. Fears grew with every attack in Paris, Istanbul or Brussels," said the Abendzeitung newspaper's editor-in-chief Michael Schilling. "There were particular concerns about the Oktoberfest. But since Friday it is clear that there can be no security anywhere, not even in the safest German city." The mall shooting occurred just eight days after 31-year-old Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel used a truck to mow down 84 people, including children, after a Bastille Day fireworks display in Nice, the third major attack on French soil in the past 18 months. In March, IS claimed suicide bombings at Brussels airport and a city metro station that left 32 people dead. In May, a mentally unstable 27-year-old man carried out a knife attack on a regional train in Bavaria, killing one person and injuring three others. (AFP)

Shocked Germany probes 'lone' mass killer

Iran today condemned a shooting spree at a busy shopping centre in Munich by a teenage German-Iranian gunman who killed nine people before committing suicide. 
 
Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced &quot;the killing of innocent and defenceless people&quot; and expressed Iran&#39;s solidarity with the German government and people, official IRNA news agency reported. 
 
Ghasemi also called for a &quot;relentless and comprehensive fight&quot; to eradicate violence. 
Sixteen people were also wounded in Friday&#39;s shooting spree in Munich, German police said, adding that the assailant was an 18-year-old 
 
German-Iranian who had no criminal record. 
 
A police spokesman in Germany had said on Friday that terrorism was suspected, without revealing any immediate indications of an Islamist link. 
 
The attack came just days after a teenage asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

A police spokesman in Germany said that terrorism was suspected, without revealing any immediate indications of an Islamist link

Iran today condemned a shooting spree at a busy shopping centre in Munich by a teenage German-Iranian gunman who killed nine people before committing suicide. Foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi denounced "the killing of innocent and defenceless people" and expressed Iran's solidarity with the German government and people, official IRNA news agency reported. Ghasemi also called for a "relentless and comprehensive fight" to eradicate violence. Sixteen people were also wounded in Friday's shooting spree in Munich, German police said, adding that the assailant was an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had no criminal record. A police spokesman in Germany had said on Friday that terrorism was suspected, without revealing any immediate indications of an Islamist link. The attack came just days after a teenage asylum seeker went on a rampage with an axe and a knife on a train on Monday near Wuerzburg, also in Bavaria, injuring five people. (AFP)

Iran condemns shooting spree by German-Iranian gunman in Munich

The likely, lone gunman in an attack&nbsp;that killed nine people and injured at least 16 others today was found dead near a shopping centre in Munich, Germany,&nbsp;a spokesman for the Munich police said on today. The attacker was an 18-year-old German-Iranian man who killed himself after carrying out the deadly shooting rampage, the Munich plice said.&nbsp; 
 
News agencies report varying number of those injured, from sixteen to twenty one. 
 
&quot;The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich,&quot; police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters after the massacre that left 10 people dead, including the gunman. 
 
&quot;The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear.&quot; 
 
Earlier police, citing eyewitness accounts, had said they were looking for up to three suspects in the shooting attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre (OEZ) that sent shoppers running for their lives and shut traffic across the city. 
 
But early today, a Munich police spokesman said it was now believed likely that only one man was responsible for the shooting, the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. 
 
&quot;We can give a cautious &#39;all-clear signal.&#39; It looks like the body found near the OEZ was the gunman,&quot; a police spokesman said. 
 
Authorities had told the public to get off the streets as the city, Germany&#39;s third biggest, went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off. 
 
A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces deployed in the city. 
 
Authorities found a 10th body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the likely gunman. 
 
German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald&#39;s restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack. 
 
German news magazine Focus said the dead man and suspected gunman had shot himself in the head. 
 
At the height of the incident, people in the Olympia shopping centre either fled or sought to hide. 
 
&quot;Many shots were fired, I can&#39;t say how many but it&#39;s been a lot,&quot; said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall. 
 
It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group. 
 
A police spokesman said there was no immediate indication that it was an Islamist attack but it was being treated as a terrorist incident. 
 
Friday is also the fifth anniversary of the massacre by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in which he killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America. 
 
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear. 
 
&quot;The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues,&quot; Steinmeier said in a statement. 
 
Islamic State supporters celebrate 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media. 
 
&quot;The Islamic state is expanding in Europe,&quot; read one tweet. 
 
Two witnesses told n-tv television that they saw a man dressed as Santa Claus walking away from the scene of the shooting with a crowd of people. One said the man had blonde hair, was not carrying a weapon but had a suitcase. 
 
A video posted online, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public. 
 
Witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets, police said. 
 
Several hours after the shooting, police said it was unclear if the shooters were still in Munich. As night closed in, the streets of the city were largely deserted. 
 
Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich&#39;s city centre in the afternoon, clinking glasses, eating sausages, and listening to bands at a beer festival. 
 
The festival was meant to last until Sunday but was evacuated shortly after the attack. 
 
Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square. 
 
&quot;We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying.&quot; 
 
&quot;Most of the people were very calm and composed. There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm.&quot; 
 
Munich&#39;s main railway station was evacuated. BR television said police had sealed off many highways north of Munich and people were told to leave them. 
 
The shopping centre is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. 
 
Friday&#39;s attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an axe. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. 
 
German justice minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper&#39;s Friday edition before the mall attack that there was &quot;no reason to panic but it&#39;s clear that Germany remains a possible target&quot;. 
 
The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on July 14 in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack. 
 
The Munich assault was also reminiscent of Islamist militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2013 and in Mumbai, India, in November 2008. 
 
Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: &quot;Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn &amp; remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago.&quot; 
 
(Reuters, AFP)

Body found about 1km from the scene was later determined to be the likely lone gunman who, German media said, had shot himself in the head

The likely, lone gunman in an attack that killed nine people and injured at least 16 others today was found dead near a shopping centre in Munich, Germany, a spokesman for the Munich police said on today. The attacker was an 18-year-old German-Iranian man who killed himself after carrying out the deadly shooting rampage, the Munich plice said. News agencies report varying number of those injured, from sixteen to twenty one. "The perpetrator was an 18-year-old German-Iranian from Munich," police chief Hubertus Andrae told reporters after the massacre that left 10 people dead, including the gunman. "The motive or explanation for this crime is completely unclear." Earlier police, citing eyewitness accounts, had said they were looking for up to three suspects in the shooting attack at the Munich Olympia Shopping Centre (OEZ) that sent shoppers running for their lives and shut traffic across the city. But early today, a Munich police spokesman said it was now believed likely that only one man was responsible for the shooting, the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. "We can give a cautious 'all-clear signal.' It looks like the body found near the OEZ was the gunman," a police spokesman said. Authorities had told the public to get off the streets as the city, Germany's third biggest, went into lockdown with transport halted and highways sealed off. A police spokesman initially said up to three gunmen were on the run after the shooting. The Bavarian capital was placed under a state of emergency as police hunted for them and special forces deployed in the city. Authorities found a 10th body about 1 km (0.6 miles) from the scene that was later determined to be the likely gunman. German radio station Bayerischer Rundfunk said the man had a red backpack similar to one used by a gunman seen at a McDonald's restaurant where the attack reportedly began. It said police were using a robot to investigate the backpack. German news magazine Focus said the dead man and suspected gunman had shot himself in the head. At the height of the incident, people in the Olympia shopping centre either fled or sought to hide. "Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," said a shop worker hiding in a store room inside the mall. It was the third major act of violence against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Previous attacks in France and Germany were claimed by the Islamic State militant group. A police spokesman said there was no immediate indication that it was an Islamist attack but it was being treated as a terrorist incident. Friday is also the fifth anniversary of the massacre by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in which he killed 77 people. Breivik is a hero for far-right militants in Europe and America. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the motive for the attack was not yet clear. "The motives for this abhorrent act have not yet been completely clarified - we still have contradictory clues," Steinmeier said in a statement. Islamic State supporters celebrate There was no immediate claim of responsibility but supporters of Islamic State celebrated on social media. "The Islamic state is expanding in Europe," read one tweet. Two witnesses told n-tv television that they saw a man dressed as Santa Claus walking away from the scene of the shooting with a crowd of people. One said the man had blonde hair, was not carrying a weapon but had a suitcase. A video posted online, whose authenticity could not be confirmed, showed a man dressed in black outside a McDonalds by the roadside, drawing a handgun and shooting towards members of the public. Witnesses had seen shooting both inside the mall and on nearby streets, police said. Several hours after the shooting, police said it was unclear if the shooters were still in Munich. As night closed in, the streets of the city were largely deserted. Thousands of people had been crowding the streets and squares in Munich's city centre in the afternoon, clinking glasses, eating sausages, and listening to bands at a beer festival. The festival was meant to last until Sunday but was evacuated shortly after the attack. Elena Hakes, wearing a blue traditional dress, had been with a friend in the Odeonsplatz square. "We heard what had happened and decided to leave, it just seemed not befitting anymore to continue partying." "Most of the people were very calm and composed. There were a few people who came running towards us who were screaming and in panic. But mostly it was surprisingly calm." Munich's main railway station was evacuated. BR television said police had sealed off many highways north of Munich and people were told to leave them. The shopping centre is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker assaulted passengers on a German train with an axe. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. German justice minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper's Friday edition before the mall attack that there was "no reason to panic but it's clear that Germany remains a possible target". The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on July 14 in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing 84. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack. The Munich assault was also reminiscent of Islamist militant attacks in a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in September 2013 and in Mumbai, India, in November 2008. Norwegian foreign minister Borge Brende said on Twitter: "Horrible killings in Munich. Taking place on the same day as we mourn & remember the appalling terror that hit Norway so hard five years ago." (Reuters, AFP)

Munich attack: 10 dead, including 18-year-old German-Iranian gunman

The teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich had likely hacked a Facebook account and used it to lure victims to the McDonald&#39;s outlet where he began his rampage, the German interior minister said today. 
 
Thomas de Maiziere told reporters in Berlin that the shooter, a German-Iranian 18-year-old, had likely used a hacked account to &quot;invite (the victims) to go to the branch, offering them special reductions&quot;. 
 
&quot;Some of our findings suggest that the killer&quot; broke into a girl&#39;s account and used it to send invitations to go to the restaurant at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Friday. 
 
&quot;I will give you whatever you want, for not a lot of money,&quot; the online invite read, according to German media reports. 
 
The shooter, David Ali Sonboly, killed nine people and injured 16 others at the Olympia mall in Munich.&nbsp;He fled the shopping centre and then committed suicide, with his body found later Friday night a kilometre from the scene of the rampage. 
 
Most of the victims in Friday&#39;s attack were foreigners, including three Turkish nationals, three people from Kosovo and a Greek man.&nbsp;The casualties were mostly young, with three aged just 14 and two aged 15. 
 
De Maiziere said Sonboly had likely been bullied by other &quot;young people his age&quot;. 
 
(AFP)

The attacker hacked into a girl's account and sent online invitations. 'I will give you whatever you want, for not a lot of money', it read

The teenager who shot dead nine people in Munich had likely hacked a Facebook account and used it to lure victims to the McDonald's outlet where he began his rampage, the German interior minister said today. Thomas de Maiziere told reporters in Berlin that the shooter, a German-Iranian 18-year-old, had likely used a hacked account to "invite (the victims) to go to the branch, offering them special reductions". "Some of our findings suggest that the killer" broke into a girl's account and used it to send invitations to go to the restaurant at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT) on Friday. "I will give you whatever you want, for not a lot of money," the online invite read, according to German media reports. The shooter, David Ali Sonboly, killed nine people and injured 16 others at the Olympia mall in Munich. He fled the shopping centre and then committed suicide, with his body found later Friday night a kilometre from the scene of the rampage. Most of the victims in Friday's attack were foreigners, including three Turkish nationals, three people from Kosovo and a Greek man. The casualties were mostly young, with three aged just 14 and two aged 15. De Maiziere said Sonboly had likely been bullied by other "young people his age". (AFP)

Munich killer lured victims using Facebook

Chancellor Angela Merkel today said Munich had suffered a &quot;night of horror&quot; after a shooting spree in the southern German city left nine people dead. 
 
&quot;The people of Munich have come through a night of horror,&quot; she said in her first reaction to Friday&#39;s carnage, adding: &quot;A night like this is difficult for us all to bear.&quot; 
 
Speaking from her office in Berlin, the German leader said: &quot;All of us, and I say this on behalf of the whole government, are mourning with heavy hearts those who will never be able to return to their families.&quot; 
 
She paid tribute to Munich residents who had offered refuge in their homes to people fleeing the gunman, many of them using social media to spread the word. 
 
Their actions showed that &quot;we live in a free society and it showed humanity&quot;, she said, adding that &quot;our greatest strength&quot; lies in these values. 
 
(AFP)

She paid tribute to residents who had offered refuge in their homes to people fleeing the gunman, many using social media to spread the word

Chancellor Angela Merkel today said Munich had suffered a "night of horror" after a shooting spree in the southern German city left nine people dead. "The people of Munich have come through a night of horror," she said in her first reaction to Friday's carnage, adding: "A night like this is difficult for us all to bear." Speaking from her office in Berlin, the German leader said: "All of us, and I say this on behalf of the whole government, are mourning with heavy hearts those who will never be able to return to their families." She paid tribute to Munich residents who had offered refuge in their homes to people fleeing the gunman, many of them using social media to spread the word. Their actions showed that "we live in a free society and it showed humanity", she said, adding that "our greatest strength" lies in these values. (AFP)

Merkel deplores night of horror in Munich

The lone teenager who shot dead nine people in a gun rampage in Munich was &quot;obsessed&quot; with mass killers such as Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik and had no links to the Islamic State group, police said today. 
 
Europe reacted in shock to the third attack on the continent in just over a week, after the black-clad gunman went on a shooting spree at a shopping centre on Friday evening before turning the gun on himself. 
 
&quot;There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State,&quot; Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said. 
 
He said the assault was a &quot;classic act by a deranged person&quot; and described an individual &quot;obsessed&quot; with mass shootings. 
 
He said German investigators saw an &quot;obvious link&quot; between Friday&#39;s killings and Breivik&#39;s massacre of 77 people in a bomb attack in Oslo and a shooting rampage on the nearby island of Utoya exactly five years earlier. 
 
Most of the victims in Friday&#39;s attack were foreigners. 
 
Munich prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said the 18-year-old German-Iranian student -- named as David Ali Sonboly -- had suffered depression, while media reports said he had undergone psychiatric treatment. 
 
The teenager had 300 rounds in a rucksack when he targeted the busy Olympia shopping mall, just minutes away from the flat he shared with his family, according to authorities. 
 
Tributes for victims 
 
Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: &quot;Why?&quot; 
 
&quot;Bloodbath in Munich,&quot; was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper as Germany struggled to come to terms with the killings. 
 
Among the nine killed were three Turks, three Kosovans and a Greek national, according to their foreign ministries. 
 
Most of the casualties were young people aged 15 to 21, with three women among the dead according to Munich police. 
 
Sixteen people were wounded, three of them critically. 
 
The attack sent Germany&#39;s third largest city into lockdown as police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants. 
 
An amateur video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from a McDonald&#39;s fast foot outlet in Munich while firing repeatedly with a handgun as people fled screaming. 
 
A police patrol shot and wounded him but he managed to escape before police found the body of what they believed was the &quot;only shooter.&quot; 
 
&#39;Never heard of problems&#39; 
 
Sonboly is thought to be have been born in Germany to an Iranian father who worked as a taxi driver and a mother who worked at a department store. 
 
Neighbour Delfye Dalbi, 40, described him as &quot;a good person&quot; who &quot;helped, would share the newspapers&quot;. 
 
&quot;Not once did I see him angry. I never heard of him having problems with the police or other neighbours,&quot; she said. 
 
Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms. 
 
&quot;We entered McDonald&#39;s to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out,&quot; one woman told Bavarian television. 
 
Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof in a heated exchange with a man on a nearby balcony. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m German, I was born here,&quot; the assailant replied after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an insulting term for foreigners. 
 
Munich&#39;s main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport suspended for several hours while residents were ordered to stay inside, leaving the streets largely deserted. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Munich prosecutor says the 18-year-old German-Iranian student, who went on a shooting rampage, also suffered depression

The lone teenager who shot dead nine people in a gun rampage in Munich was "obsessed" with mass killers such as Norwegian rightwing fanatic Anders Behring Breivik and had no links to the Islamic State group, police said today. Europe reacted in shock to the third attack on the continent in just over a week, after the black-clad gunman went on a shooting spree at a shopping centre on Friday evening before turning the gun on himself. "There is absolutely no link to the Islamic State," Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said. He said the assault was a "classic act by a deranged person" and described an individual "obsessed" with mass shootings. He said German investigators saw an "obvious link" between Friday's killings and Breivik's massacre of 77 people in a bomb attack in Oslo and a shooting rampage on the nearby island of Utoya exactly five years earlier. Most of the victims in Friday's attack were foreigners. Munich prosecutor Thomas Steinkraus-Koch said the 18-year-old German-Iranian student -- named as David Ali Sonboly -- had suffered depression, while media reports said he had undergone psychiatric treatment. The teenager had 300 rounds in a rucksack when he targeted the busy Olympia shopping mall, just minutes away from the flat he shared with his family, according to authorities. Tributes for victims Grieving Munich residents laid roses and lit candles in memory of the victims, with one placard bearing the simple plea: "Why?" "Bloodbath in Munich," was the headline on the best-selling Bild newspaper as Germany struggled to come to terms with the killings. Among the nine killed were three Turks, three Kosovans and a Greek national, according to their foreign ministries. Most of the casualties were young people aged 15 to 21, with three women among the dead according to Munich police. Sixteen people were wounded, three of them critically. The attack sent Germany's third largest city into lockdown as police launched a massive operation to track down what had initially been thought to be up to three assailants. An amateur video posted on social media appeared to show a man in black walking away from a McDonald's fast foot outlet in Munich while firing repeatedly with a handgun as people fled screaming. A police patrol shot and wounded him but he managed to escape before police found the body of what they believed was the "only shooter." 'Never heard of problems' Sonboly is thought to be have been born in Germany to an Iranian father who worked as a taxi driver and a mother who worked at a department store. Neighbour Delfye Dalbi, 40, described him as "a good person" who "helped, would share the newspapers". "Not once did I see him angry. I never heard of him having problems with the police or other neighbours," she said. Survivors described terrifying scenes as shoppers rushed from the area, some carrying children in their arms. "We entered McDonald's to eat... then there was panic, and people ran out," one woman told Bavarian television. Another video appeared to show the gunman on a car park roof in a heated exchange with a man on a nearby balcony. "I'm German, I was born here," the assailant replied after the man fired off a volley of swear words, including an insulting term for foreigners. Munich's main train station was evacuated and metro and bus transport suspended for several hours while residents were ordered to stay inside, leaving the streets largely deserted. (AFP)

Lone Munich attacker obsessed with mass killings, had links to Norwegian serial killer, says police

Several people were killed on Friday in a shooting rampage by a lone gunman in a Munich shopping centre, police said. 
 
Police have cordoned off a wide area around the Olympia shopping centre in the southern part of the city after shots were fired, a spokeswoman for the police said. 
 
At least six people are believed to have been killed in the shooting rampage, police source said. Witnesses say they spotted three different people with firearms, who are believed to be still at large. A manhunt is under way. 
 
Authorities were evacuating people from the Olympia mall but many others were hiding inside. A Munich police spokeswoman said mulitple people were killed or wounded. 
 
&quot;We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage,&quot; the spokeswoman said. More than one gunman was believed to be involved and no one had been arrested, she said. 
 
The Bild newspaper reported that the gunman ran through the mall, firing on several people before fleeing in the direction of a nearby metro station. 
 
Staff in the mall were still in hiding, an employee told Reuters by telephone. 
 
&quot;Many shots were fired, I can&#39;t say how many but it&#39;s been a lot,&quot; the employee, who declined to be identified, said from the mall in Munich. 
 
&quot;All the people from outside came streaming into the store and I only saw one person on the ground who was so severely injured that he definitely didn&#39;t survive.&nbsp;We have no further information, we&#39;re just staying in the back in the storage rooms. No police have approached us yet.&quot; 
 
Local TV images showed dozens of emergency vehicles outside the mall.&nbsp;NTV television reported that German police special forces had arrived at the scene.&nbsp;Munich police tweeted urging people to avoid the area. 
 
&quot;At the moment we have a major police operation on OEZ. Please avoid the area around the mall.&quot; &nbsp; 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-x-mtfrom-de">
Im Moment haben wir einen gro?en Polizeieinsatz am OEZ. Bitte meiden Sie den Bereich um das Einkaufszentrum.
&mdash; Polizei M?nchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) <a href="https://twitter.com/PolizeiMuenchen/status/756527978411094016">July 22, 2016</a> 
&nbsp;</blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
Officials say the main train station in Munich has been evacuated, metro and bus transport have also been suspended. 
 
The U.S. State Department says &quot;our thoughts are with the victims and their families&quot; after gunmen went on a shooting rampage in a shopping mall in the southern German city of Munich. 
 
The shopping center is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. 
 
Friday&#39;s attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker wounded passengers on a German train in an axe rampage claimed by Islamic State. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. 
 
German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper&#39;s Friday edition that there was &quot;no reason to panic but it&#39;s clear that Germany remains a possible target&quot;. 
 
Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager was believed to be a &quot;lone wolf&quot; attacker who appeared to have been &quot;inspired&quot; by the Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network. 
 
The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on Bastille Day in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds, killing 84. Islamic State also claimed responsibility for that attack. 
 
(Reuters, AFP) 
&nbsp;

Munich Olympia shopping centre under fire. Three armed suspects are still at large: Reports

Several people were killed on Friday in a shooting rampage by a lone gunman in a Munich shopping centre, police said. Police have cordoned off a wide area around the Olympia shopping centre in the southern part of the city after shots were fired, a spokeswoman for the police said. At least six people are believed to have been killed in the shooting rampage, police source said. Witnesses say they spotted three different people with firearms, who are believed to be still at large. A manhunt is under way. Authorities were evacuating people from the Olympia mall but many others were hiding inside. A Munich police spokeswoman said mulitple people were killed or wounded. "We believe we are dealing with a shooting rampage," the spokeswoman said. More than one gunman was believed to be involved and no one had been arrested, she said. The Bild newspaper reported that the gunman ran through the mall, firing on several people before fleeing in the direction of a nearby metro station. Staff in the mall were still in hiding, an employee told Reuters by telephone. "Many shots were fired, I can't say how many but it's been a lot," the employee, who declined to be identified, said from the mall in Munich. "All the people from outside came streaming into the store and I only saw one person on the ground who was so severely injured that he definitely didn't survive. We have no further information, we're just staying in the back in the storage rooms. No police have approached us yet." Local TV images showed dozens of emergency vehicles outside the mall. NTV television reported that German police special forces had arrived at the scene. Munich police tweeted urging people to avoid the area. "At the moment we have a major police operation on OEZ. Please avoid the area around the mall." Im Moment haben wir einen gro?en Polizeieinsatz am OEZ. Bitte meiden Sie den Bereich um das Einkaufszentrum. — Polizei M?nchen (@PolizeiMuenchen) July 22, 2016 Officials say the main train station in Munich has been evacuated, metro and bus transport have also been suspended. The U.S. State Department says "our thoughts are with the victims and their families" after gunmen went on a shooting rampage in a shopping mall in the southern German city of Munich. The shopping center is next to the Munich Olympic stadium, where the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games. Friday's attack took place a week after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker wounded passengers on a German train in an axe rampage claimed by Islamic State. Bavarian police shot dead the teenager after he wounded four people from Hong Kong on the train and injured a local resident while fleeing. German Justice Minister Heiko Maas told Bild newspaper's Friday edition that there was "no reason to panic but it's clear that Germany remains a possible target". Interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said the teenager was believed to be a "lone wolf" attacker who appeared to have been "inspired" by the Islamic State group but was not a member of the jihadist network. The incidents in Germany follow an attack in Nice, France, on Bastille Day in which a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds, killing 84. Islamic State also claimed responsibility for that attack. (Reuters, AFP)

Shots fired at shopping centre in Munich, at least 8 dead, 10 wounded

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