Afghan attacker ‘had terror motive’

Dutch officials on Saturday said a knife-wielding attacker who wounded two US citizens at Amsterdam Central Station a day before “had a terrorist motive”, as a police probe widened to Germany.

“Following an initial statement by the suspect, it has emerged that the man had a terrorist motive,” Amsterdam City Hall announced after police questioned the suspect.

US ambassador Pete Hoekstra earlier confirmed that both the victims, who were rushed to hospital after Friday’s attack, were American citizens. The pair are in a satisfactory condition, officials said.

Panic broke out at the Dutch capital’s main station shortly after midday on Friday when the suspect stabbed two bystanders before he was shot and wounded by officers.

Police later identified the man as a 19-year-old Afghan with a German residency permit. He has been named as “Jawed S”.

Amsterdam City Hall said the suspect was being held in hospital under police guard and would briefly appear in court today behind closed doors.

Dutch authorities said they were in close contact with their German counterparts, who raided the suspect’s home Saturday at an unknown location in Germany.

“Among other things, several data carriers have been confiscated and are being investigated,” they said.

Initial investigations also indicated the man had not specifically targeted the Americans, suggesting a random attack. –