Amsterdam stabbing was terror attack, 2 injured are Americans, officials say
It is not yet clear whether the 19-year-old Afghan suspect targeted the US citizens deliberately
An Afghan suspect in a Friday stabbing attack in Amsterdam had a “terrorist motive,” authorities said Saturday.
The US ambassador to the Netherlands said the two people wounded in the knife attack at the Dutch capital’s busy main railway station were both American citizens who were visiting the country.
Police shot and wounded a 19-year-old Afghan man immediately after the attack and were questioning him.
A dramatic photo captured by a passerby shows two police officers pointing their pistols at a man wearing jeans and sneakers lying on the ground inside a tunnel in the station.
Ambassador Pete Hoekstra issued a written statement saying embassy officials had been in touch with the victims or their families. Police said they had serious but not life-threatening injuries.
“We wish them a speedy recovery and are working closely with the City of Amsterdam to provide assistance to them and their families,” Hoekstra said.
Initial police inquiries did not indicate that the victims were chosen deliberately or with a clear reason, Amsterdam authorities said. “The investigation is still underway, and all scenarios remain open for the investigation team,” the City Hall statement said.
The suspect has a German residence permit, and Amsterdam police were in contact with authorities in Germany to find out about his background, according to the city government.
The stabbings occurred shortly after noon at Central Station in downtown Amsterdam when a man walked into a group of people.
“Something happened, we don’t know yet what, but during that two people were stabbed and one person with a knife in his hand walked away and he was shot by police,” police spokesman Rob van der Veen said during the afternoon.
Forensics experts spent hours combing the scene, disrupting rail services into the evening rush hour.
Two platforms were temporarily closed to train traffic, but the station wasn’t evacuated. Trams to and from the square in front of the station were stopped as police and emergency services converged on the area. Red and white police tape kept members of the public away from the scene.
Central Station is a busy entry and exit point for visitors to Amsterdam, with regular trains linking it to the city’s Schiphol Airport. Friday is one of the busiest days of the week for train travel as tourists arrive for the weekend.
