Dutch prosecutors stated Tuesday that the man who stabbed five people in Amsterdam last week, including two Americans, is suspected of having a terrorist motive.
The suspect, identified by police as a 30-year-old Ukrainian from the Donetsk region, was apprehended Thursday after a bystander reportedly subdued him.
According to prosecutors on Tuesday, the man is suspected of five counts of attempted murder or manslaughter with a terrorist intent.
Authorities identified the victims of the shopping district attack as a 69-year-old man and 67-year-old woman from the U.S.; a 73-year-old woman from Belgium; a 26-year-old man from Poland; and a 19-year-old woman from Amsterdam.
Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema said last week that the police investigation is in full swing and has full priority at the moment, and that they hope to soon get more clarity about the background of this horrible stabbing. She also stated that their hearts go out to the victims, their families and loved ones.
Police reported that the suspect checked into an Amsterdam hotel the day before the attack, Reuters reported.
Reuters added that the Polish victim has been discharged from a local hospital, but as of Tuesday, the other victims remain in medical care and are in stable condition.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson confirmed that two U.S. citizens were injured during the incident.
The spokesperson stated that the U.S. Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas. They are closely following reports of a stabbing in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and extend their sympathies to the victims and to the families of those affected, and confirmed that two U.S. citizens were injured.
’ Greg Wehner, Nick Kalman and
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