Germany must expect attacks, possibly from "lone wolves", says minister

BERLIN - 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 on Monday night, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Wednesday.

"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," de Maiziere told reporters.

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