French man imprisoned in Germany in 2016 deported to France, 2017

The French man suspected of killing two people and wounding 12 others at a French Christmas market had been imprisoned in Germany in 2016 and 2017 on theft charges, and was deported to France in 2017, a spokeswoman for Germany's BKA criminal police said.

The suspect is a 29-year-old French citizen who is known to French authorities as a radicalised Islamist, the spokeswoman said.

She said German authorities were cooperating closely with French officials as a manhunt continued for the suspected attacker, who French authorities identified as Cherif Chekatt.