Pope Francis on Tuesday deplored the deadly truck attack against a busy Christmas market in central Berlin, calling it a "terrible act of violence" and urged an end to the "murderous folly" of terrorism.
“With deep sorrow the Holy Father learned of the terrible act of violence that occurred in Berlin," Francis said in a telegram to Berlin's archbishop Heiner Koch by Vatican secretary of state Pietro Parolin.
"Pope Francis joins with all men of goodwill who are committed to ensuring that the murderous folly of terrorism no longer finds a place in our world," the telegram stated.
Francis was praying for the 12 people killed and the dozens wounded in Monday's attack, the telegram said.
The pontiff also thanked German medical and security personnel for their rapid assistance to the victims of the attack.
German officials have admitted they are uncertain whether a Pakistani suspect in police custody is in fact the driver of the Polish-registered vehicle that ploughed through Berlin's Breitscheidplatzmarket late Monday.
A Polish national was found shot and stabbed to death in the truck's passenger seat. His body is currently undergoing autopsy, according to officials. He is believed to have been the truck's original driver.
No gun was recovered, German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Tuesday.
De Maiziere confirmed that the incident had been an intentional attack, but said that the Islamic State jihadist group had immediately claimed responsibility for the attack through its official channels.
The truck left Italy last Friday with a cargo of steel laminate sheeting from a factory near Milan and crossed into Austria at the Brenner Pass the same day, according to security officials.
