Amsterdam stabbing suspect ‘wanted to protect Prophet Mohammed’

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — An Afghan man suspected of stabbing two American tourists last year at Amsterdam’s Central Station tells judges he traveled to the Netherlands “to protect the Prophet Mohammed.”

The 20-year-old man, only identified as “Jawed S.,” appears at a two-day hearing in a heavily fortified courtroom in Amsterdam, where he faces two attempted murder charges with the aim of committing an act of terror.

“I came to the Netherlands to protect my prophet,” Jawed S. tells the judges in reference to the August 31 incident last year that sent midday commuters into a panic and left two severely injured victims. “I was planning to kill unfair and cruel people, those who make it possible for the Prophet Mohammed to be insulted,” national news agency ANP quotes him as saying.

Jawed S. previously mentioned anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders, and his knife assault came a day after the far-right MP announced he was cancelling moves to stage a cartoon competition to caricature the Prophet Mohammed.

Asked what he planned to achieve with his action, Jawed S. tells judges “I wanted to defend my religion and make it clear that my religion should be left alone. If you don’t do that, you should be prepared for these kind of actions,” he says.

Two American tourists were seriously injured in the lunchtime attack inside the Dutch capital’s busy station next to its historic city center. Police reacted quickly, shooting Jawed S. in the lower body before arresting him. One victim remains in a wheelchair with a severe spinal cord injury, while a second man was stabbed in the right chest and arm, according to reports.

— AFP