Twelve-year-old boy attempts to bomb a Christmas market

 A 12-year-old boy with both German and Iraqi citizenship attempted to explode a nail bomb at a Christmas market in Ludwigshafen, the German city where he was born, the state prosecutor said on Friday. The judicial and security authorities reported that the boy had radical religious views and had left a backpack containing the bomb […]

 A 12-year-old boy with both German and Iraqi citizenship attempted to explode a nail bomb at a Christmas market in Ludwigshafen, the German city where he was born, the state prosecutor said on Friday.

The judicial and security authorities reported that the boy had radical religious views and had left a backpack containing the bomb near the western city’s town hall on Dec. 5.

However, the device, which was discovered by a passerby, failed to explode.

State prosecutor Hubert Stroeber said both the federal prosecutor’s office and the local youth affairs office had been informed about the case.

“The boy is now being held in a special facility,’’ officials said.

The incident was also alleged to be the boy’s second attempt at trying to explode a nail bomb at the Christmas market.

The first attempt was on Nov. 26.

The German government expressed its surprise at the reports about the boy’s action.

“This is, of course, a story that leaves everyone shocked,’’ government spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

He would not, however, comment on the case as a result of the prosecutors’ investigation. (dpa/NAN)