A POLISH lorry driver was shot dead by the Berlin Christmas Market attacker before he mowed down shoppers using the stolen vehicle.

The lorry used in the terrorist attack which killed 12 people and injured 50 was registered to Polish firm Ariel Zurawski.

Polish transport company owner Ariel Zurawski has showed photo of the driver who was found dead in a truck used in the attack

Polish transport company owner Ariel Zurawski has showed photo of the driver who was found dead in a truck used in the attack Lukasz, 37, who was returning from transporting steel beams into Germany, was last heard from at 4pm

Lukasz, 37, who was returning from transporting steel beams into Germany, was last heard from at 4pm

Mr Zurawski, who has been speaking to the media, said no-one had spoken to his cousin since midday yesterday PAP

Mr Zurawski, who has been speaking to the media, said no-one had spoken to his cousin since midday yesterday

Ariel Zurawski, the cousin of the driver, said he last heard from his cousin at midday yesterday, as it later emerged his relative was shot dead before the terror attack

Ariel Zurawski, the cousin of the driver, said he last heard from his cousin at midday yesterday, as it later emerged his relative was shot dead before the terror attack Mr Zurawski, the cousin of the driver, said “they hijacked this vehicle because it was practically in the centre of Berlin”

Mr Zurawski, the cousin of the driver, said “they hijacked this vehicle because it was practically in the centre of Berlin” The lorry was ‘hijacked by a refugee’ who then ploughed it into a Christmas market in Germany at 40mph AP:ASSOCIATED PRESS

The lorry was ‘hijacked by a refugee’ who then ploughed it into a Christmas market in Germany at 40mph

Daylight footage from scene of Berlin Christmas market lorry attack The suspect hijacked the truck on Monday hours before the killings.

Police confirmed the lorry's original driver identified only as 'Lukasz', 37, was returning from transporting steel beams into Germany.

He was found stabbed and shot in the cab after the murder hijacking, and died at the scene.

The driver's cousin Ariel Zurawski, who owns the firm, said there was no way his relative was involved.

Mr Zurawski, whose company is based in Gryfino in northwest Poland, told says German authorities asked him to identify the victim from photos.

He said: "His face was swollen and bloodied. It was really clear that he was fighting for his life."

Lukasz Wasik, the manager of the trucking company, described Urban as a "good, quiet and honest person" devoted to his work.

"I believe he would not give up the vehicle and would defend it to the end if were attacked."

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Zurawski said that after reaching his destination, Lukasz, 37, had parked and gone to get a kebab sandwich.

He had been planning to unload his cargo of 24 tonnes of steel parts the next morning.

Around noon, the two cousins spoke. Lukasz said he was hungry and that there were few Germans in the neighbourhood where he parked, mostly Muslims.

"We made a few jokes, we laughed," Zurawski said.

Lukasz, father of a teenage boy, had been a truck driver for some 15 years, working for his cousin's company based in Sobiemysl near the Polish-German border.

After over a week on the road, he was eager to get home, Zurawski said.

Witnesses described seeing a man flee the cab of the battered lorry before being pursued by a local man who directed police towards the suspect

Witnesses described seeing a man flee the cab of the battered lorry before being pursued by a local man who directed police towards the suspect

It emerged his wife had called Lukasz at around 3pm, but there was no answer when she tried later.

"The phone was just silent, silent, " added Zurawski. "He should have picked up if he was on a break, particularly if his wife was calling."

Polish media reported that GDP recordings from the truck indicated “suspicious” activity earlier in the day, reports www.thenews.pl.

It is claimed that someone attempted to turn on the engine several times before driving off.

The Scania-made lorry was fully laden with steel, making the heavy lorry even more deadly.

The Polish foreign ministry said it had no information about Polish citizens being among those killed or injured.

In a tweet, Polish President Andrzej Duda wrote: “Whoever can, please pray for the health of the wounded, and for the souls of those who died.”

The driver of the lorry fled after the crash, it was reportedThe driver of the lorry, who was initially identified as a 23-year-old Pakistani refugee, fled after the crash but was arrested in a nearby park

(Fluierul)