Most Germans fear terrorist attack after train axe assault: Poll

Refugees, some of whom come from Syria, and their supporters demonstrate with posters written with "They aren't acting in my name" in downtown Wuerzburg, Germany on July 20, 2016. PHOTO: EPA

BERLIN (Reuters) - More than three-quarters of Germans believe their country will soon be the target of terrorism, a survey showed on Friday (July 22), after a 17-year-old asylum-seeker wounded passengers on a train in an axe attack claimed by Islamic State.

Seventy-seven per cent expect an attack to happen soon, up from 69 per cent two weeks ago, according to the survey compiled by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen for broadcaster ZDF.

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 Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said investigations suggested he was a "lone wolf" who had been spurred into action by Islamic State propaganda.

The axe rampage came days after a Tunisian drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, killing 84 in an attack also claimed by the jihadist group.

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".

The survey of 1,271 respondents, which showed 20 per cent do not expect an attack soon, was conducted during the three days following the train attack.

It also showed 59 per cent think enough is being done to protect them from terrorism - almost twice as many as think they should be better protected.

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