Ansbach explosion: Syrian asylum seeker killed by own bomb

 vehicles raced to the scene of the Ansbach blast

A failed asylum seeker from Syria killed himself and injured 12 other people after setting off a bomb near an open-air music festival in the German city of Ansbach.

Bavaria's interior minister said the 27-year-old man detonated a backpack device after being refused entry to the festival in the southern city.

About 2,500 people were evacuated from the venue after the explosion.

It is the third attack in the state of Bavaria in a week.

A shooting rampage in Munich on Friday left nine dead while an axe-wielding teenager was shot dead after injuring four people on a traina week ago in Wuerzburg

Image copyrightEPAImage captionArmed police have sealed off the centre of AnsbachImage copyrightAPImage captionPolice in protective gear could be seen examining a backpack on the street

The explosion is reported to have happened at about 22:10 (20:10 GMT) outside the Eugens Weinstube bar in the city centre which is a short distance from the entrance to the Ansbach Open music festival.

Police said three of the injured were in a serious condition.

Security services have sealed off the city centre and experts are trying to establish the kind of explosives the bomber used.Image copyrightEPAImage captionThree of the injured are said to be seriously hurt

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said the suspected attacker had entered Germany two years ago and had his asylum claim rejected a year ago.

He had been given leave to stay temporarily given the situation in his home country and provided with an apartment in Ansbach, Mr Herrmann added.

The minister said he was "incensed" by the attack, which he said demonstrated the need "to strengthen controls on those we have living in our country".

Mr Herrmann said the man was known to have attempted suicide twice and had spent time in a psychiatric clinic.

"We don't know if this man planned on suicide or if he had the intention of killing others," he said.

However, he added that the bomb in the backpack would have been sufficient to kill and injure many more people.

Ansbach deputy police chief Roman Fertinger said there were "indications" that pieces of metal had been added to the explosive device.

Witness Thomas Debinski said there was "panic" after the explosion, although some people thought it was caused by a gas explosion.

"Then people came past and said it was a rucksack that had exploded," he told Sky News.

"After what just happened in Munich it's very disturbing to think what can happen so close to you in such a small town."