650 soldiers on UK standby

Amri, 24, pulled a gun from his backpack and shot Movio in the shoulder. Scatà – a policeman for just nine months and still in his probationary period – returned fire as Amri ducked down behind a parked car.

The pair exchanged more shots before Amri was fatally wounded.

Residents in the district of Sesto San Giovanni said they heard several shots and saw a man lying on the ground.

Italy’s Interior Minister Marco Minniti confirmed the dead man was Amri. His fingerprints matched those on file since his arrival in southern Italy HUNDREDS of soldiers are on UK alert to back up police amid fears of a copycat attack here over Christmas.

A counter terror mission codenamed Operation Temperer has been launched and MI5 raised the alert ahead of Boxing Days sales and a full soccer fixture list.

More than 60 SAS troops are attached as a refugee in 2011. Praising the officers, Mr Minniti added: “Thanks to them we will have a Christmas more beautiful, more secure. He was the most wanted man in Europe.”

Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said: “A special gratitude goes to the young probationer. Cristian Movio.”

Police chief Antonio De Iesu revealed: “We had no intelligence that Amri could be in Milan.”

The killer moved freely across Europe despite his mugshot being circulated. He fled Germany to France, where he boarded a train to Turin, Italy, before travelling on to Milan.

Twelve people died and 49 were injured in the market attack. to the Counter Terrorist Command. Now 650 soldiers are on six hours standby, with 180 troops in the Special Forces Support Group on an hour’s readiness.

A senior military source said: “We know shopping malls are a key target, but any event where large numbers of people gather will be observed.”