Berlin massacre suspect Anis Amri

Anis Amri, 24: Born in 1992 in Tunisian town of Tataouine. Black hair and brown eyes, height: 1.78 metres. Known to use six aliases

2011: Leaves Tunisia to escape imprisonment after taking part in armed robbery. Arrives in Italy as an illegal immigrant

2011-15: Spends four years in Italian jail on charge of burning down reception centre. Amri is ordered to be deported back home after his prison time, but Tunisian authorities fail to complete paperwork

Jul 2015: Arrives in Germany at Freiburg, near the border with Switzerland and France. Registered in Kleve, near Dutch border. Applies for asylum

Late 2015: Amri is added to list of hundreds of known Islamic extremists in Germany after being linked to Abu Walaa – jihadist preacher who openly supports so-called Islamic State

Feb 2016: Moves to Berlin, becomes involved in dealing drugs. Identified by German police as potential terror threat

Mar: Put under surveillance on suspicion of planning robbery to fund purchase of automatic weapons for possible terrorist attack

Jul: Amri’s asylum application is rejected. German authorities prepare to deport him, but Amri does not have valid identity papers

Aug: Attempt to get replacement passport issued by Tunisia takes until December

Sep: Surveillance called off

(1) Dec 23: Amri – prime suspect in deadly attack on Christmas market in Berlin – is shot dead by policy in Milan, Italy 

Sources: Associated Press, Bloomberg, Reuters

Pictures: Associated Press
—————————
(1) changed in update