Amsterdam station stabbing: police say focus is on a terrorist motive

From Dutch News and the Netherlands Times

The 19-year-old Afghan who stabbed two American tourists in Amsterdam’s main railway station on Friday appeared to have had a terrorist motive, city officials said in a statement on Saturday evening. “From the suspect’s initial statements, it appears terrorism was his motive,” the city said in a joint statement with police and the Justice Ministry on Saturday. The man, who was shot by police after he attacked the two tourists in the western tunnel under the station, made the claim during his first interview with the police, the statement said.

The man, named as Jawed S, has a German residency permit. . . His two victims appear to have been chosen at random, police said. . . The tourists were waiting at the NS service counter in the tunnel when they were attacked. According to broadcaster NOS, police say a ‘very large knife’ was involved. . . their injuries are not said to be life threatening.

The German authorities have now searched his home in Germany and taken away ‘computers and phones’. He will be brought in front of a court on Monday to determine if Dutch authorities may keep him in custody. He is being kept in solitary confinement, and is allowed to maintain contact with his attorney, the statement noted.