Terrorist Motive Suspected in Rotterdam Knife Attack

A 22-year-old man allegedly stabbed and killed one person and wounded another in Rotterdam, possibly driven by a terrorist motive. The suspect attacked his victims in a parking garage and at street level, shouting 'Allahu Akbar' during the assault. Bystanders subdued him before police apprehended him.

Dutch prosecutors reported on Friday that a knife-wielding attacker who allegedly killed one man and injured another in Rotterdam may have had terrorist intentions. The 22-year-old suspect first targeted a victim in a parking garage beneath Rotterdam's Erasmus Bridge, followed by a fatal street-level attack on another individual, as local media detailed.

Bystanders and police eventually overpowered the assailant and detained him. Prosecutors have charged the individual with murder and attempted murder, citing a potential terrorist motive.

'Initial investigation indicates the suspect might have been ideologically driven,' stated the prosecutors. They noted he repeatedly shouted 'Allahu Akbar,' meaning 'God is Greater' in Arabic, during the incident. 'However, other motives are also being considered,' they added.

The deceased was identified as a 32-year-old from Rotterdam, while the injured victim was a 33-year-old from Switzerland. The suspect hails from Amersfoort, located approximately 80 kilometers from Rotterdam.

According to De Telegraaf newspaper, a personal trainer conducting an outdoor class knocked the suspect unconscious using a broken squat stick, while other bystanders threw chairs to subdue him. Witnesses stated the attacker wielded two large knives and appeared to target random individuals.

(With inputs from agencies.)