ISIS claims responsibility for truck attack on Berlin Christmas market that killed 12

BERLIN — ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack on a Christmas market in the German capital of Berlin, it was reported Tuesday.

Islamic State group: Berlin truck attacker is IS soldier "targeting citizens of the Crusader coalition" .

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 20, 2016

Twelve people were killed and 48 more injured Monday after a truck plowed into a crowd outside the landmark Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church.

Witness Mike Fox told The Associated Press at the scene that the large truck missed him by only about three meters as it drove into the market, tearing through tables and wooden stands.

“It was definitely deliberate,” said the tourist from Birmingham, England. He said he helped people who appeared to have broken limbs, and that others were trapped under Christmas stands.

AP Television footage showed a large Scania truck with its windshield smashed out on the sidewalk alongside the market, with a swarm of ambulances nearby. A large Christmas tree with a gold star on top was toppled over nearby in the street.

Officials has classified the incident as an attack prior to ISIS taking responsibility.

"It didn’t feel like it was an accident": Witness to Berlin truck incident speaks to @CNNi https://t.co/cEVh67rXJb https://t.co/4CHkS79XBC

— CNN (@CNN) December 19, 2016

A person was arrested in connection with the attack but was later released.

A second person who was in the truck was killed at the scene, police said.

The truck was stolen from a construction site in Poland. Its owner was found dead after the attack.

Facebook activated its safety check feature, which allows people to let friends and family know they are safe.

Facebooks Sicherheitsscheck für #Berlin ist live. Interessant: Läuft dort bereits unter "Terroranschlag" 😳#Breitscheidplatz #weihnachtsmarkt pic.twitter.com/X2SYvq7FXU

— Niddal Salah-Eldin (@Nisalahe) December 19, 2016

The incident came less than a month after a U.S. State Department calling for caution in markets and other public places, saying extremist groups including Islamic State and al-Qaida were focusing “on the upcoming holiday season and associated events.”

Islamic State and al-Qaida have both called on followers to use trucks in particular to attack public places. On July 14, a truck plowed into a Bastille Day crowd in the southern French city of Nice, killing 86 people. Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack, which was carried out by a Tunisian living in France.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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