Italy expels Tunisian with ties to Berlin attacker

MILAN – Italy has expelled a 36-year-old Tunisian who had maintained contacts with the Berlin Christmas market attacker.

The Interior Ministry said Saturday that the Tunisian was identified after the attacker, Anis Amri, was shot to death near Milan following the Berlin truck attack that killed 12.

The ministry says the man, whose name was not released, had supplied Amri, also Tunisian, with a cellphone after his 2015 arrival in Italy, and they remained in contact after Amri travelled to Germany. Officials said phone records indicated the Tunisian had contacts with extremists. He was detained in Turin on May 2 as he was trying to reach France.

Italy regularly expels foreign nationals who have ties to extremist but lack evidence for a trial — 42 so far this year.