A shopping mall in the German city of Bremen has been evacuated as police search for a 19-year-old Algerian who escaped from a mental hospital and threatened to blow people up. The young man escaped from the hospital in Lower Saxony on Wednesday 27 July and was seen acting suspiciously at Weserpark centre this afternoon. Police are concerned he may have hidden some sort of device in the mall.

Police spokesman Nils Matthiesen said: "It's possible that the missing man has hidden something in the shopping centre. It could be a device or some other dangerous item."

More from IB Times UK

The young man is reported to have made statements in support of the Islamic State (Isis) in the past, but is not believed to have links to Islamist groups. He had apparently attempted to harm himself on a number of occasions in the psychiatric unit.

Even if the escaped teen turns out not to be radicalised, police will be treat the threat very seriously, particularly as several other attackers in Germany in recent weeks had mental health issues. Munich shooter Ali Sonboly had been treated for mental illness before killing nine people and then himself.

Mohammad Daleel, who attempted to detonate a backpack in Ansbach, had also reportedly attempted suicide on two occasions. Twelve people were injured in the attack and Daleel was killed.

The recent assaults, which also included an axe attack on a train and a suspected suitcase bomb left near a migrant centre, have left the country on edge, with many pointing the finger at Chancellor Angela Merkel's open door policy without any form of vetting.

France has also seen an anti-migrant backlash following a spate of terror attacks, including the truck attack in Nice and the murder of 86-year-old priest, Father Jacques Hamel in front of his own altar.

Germany