Authorities evacuated a shopping centre in Bremen, Germany on Wednesday evening as police hunted for a 19-year-old suspect who fled a psychiatric facility and was believed to have links to terrorist organizations, the Bild newspaper reported.

The newspaper, citing police sources, said the man had behaved suspiciously in the mall, but gave no details. It said authorities were describing the evacuation as an "anti-terrorism operation".

A police spokesman confirmed that a police operation was under way in the area but gave no details.