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Attack in Turku, Finland, Investigated as Terrorism Attack in Turku, Finland, Investigated as Terrorism
(about 1 hour later)
STOCKHOLM — A stabbing that killed two people and injured eight others in southwest Finland is being investigated as a terrorist attack, the national bureau of investigation said on Saturday. STOCKHOLM — A knife attack that killed two people and wounded eight others in southwestern Finland is being investigated as a terrorist attack, the national bureau of investigation said on Saturday.
The suspect, who was shot after the attack in Turku and hospitalized with a leg wound, is an 18-year-old Moroccan, the bureau said on Twitter. At a news conference Saturday afternoon, the police said that he had been in Finland since last year and was involved in an asylum process. They said he would be questioned at the hospital as soon as possible, with the help of an interpreter. The suspect, who was shot after the attack in Turku and hospitalized with a leg wound, is an 18-year-old Moroccan, the bureau said on Twitter. At a news conference on Saturday afternoon, the police said he had been in Finland since last year and was seeking asylum. They said he would be questioned at the hospital as soon as possible, with the help of an interpreter.
Four other terrorism suspects, also Moroccan citizens, have been arrested in Turku, and an international search warrant has been issued for a sixth. A car has also been seized as part of the investigation, the police said. Four other terrorism suspects, also Moroccan citizens, have been arrested in Turku, and an international search warrant was issued for a sixth. A car was also seized as part of the investigation, the police said.
The Finnish security service is participating in the investigation and examining whether the attack had links to the Islamic State. At the news conference, the agency pointed out that this type of attack does not require much planning and is therefore difficult to prevent. The Finnish security service is participating in the investigation and examining whether the attack had links to the Islamic State. At the news conference, the agency pointed out that this type of attack did not require much planning and was therefore difficult to prevent.
The knife attack killed two Finnish women. The injured — five women, two men and a 15-year-old girl — included an Italian, a Swede and a British citizen. Prime Minister Juha Sipila said Finland had “feared something like this, but we have been prepared.”
The stabbing came a day after a van rampage in Barcelona, Spain, killed 13 people and injured many others from around the world; hours later, a separate attack in the Spanish coastal town of Cambrils killed one woman. The Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS and ISIL, has claimed responsibility for both attacks. “We are no longer an island,” Mr. Sipila added.
The authorities said the assault in Turku, a city of more than 180,000, began in a main square when a man stabbed a woman. The assailant then ran to another square, where the police apprehended him and took the knife. The knife attack killed two Finnish women. The wounded — five women, two men and a 15-year-old girl — were Finns, an Italian, a Swede and a Briton.
Crista Granroth, a spokeswoman for the bureau of investigation, said that it seemed that the attacker had deliberately gone after women, and that the men had been wounded while trying to stop him.
The attack occurred a day after the driver of a van in Barcelona, Spain, killed 13 people and injured many others from around the world; hours later, a separate attack in the Spanish town of Cambrils killed one woman. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for both attacks.
The assault in Turku, a city of more than 180,000, began in a main square when a man stabbed a woman, the authorities said. The assailant then ran to another square, where the police apprehended him and took the knife.
Wali Hashi, a journalist who saw the episode, said in an interview that a group of people chased the knife-wielding man, who was screaming “God is great” in Arabic. The police declined to confirm whether the assailant had been yelling in Arabic.Wali Hashi, a journalist who saw the episode, said in an interview that a group of people chased the knife-wielding man, who was screaming “God is great” in Arabic. The police declined to confirm whether the assailant had been yelling in Arabic.
The Finnish security service released a report in June saying that the Islamic State no longer saw Finland as neutral, and posed a threat to the country. The agency has identified about 350 people as persons of interest, an increase of 80 percent since 2012, the report said, and that number is expected to rise. The Finnish security service released a report in June saying the Islamic State no longer saw Finland as neutral, and posed a threat to the country. The agency has identified about 350 people as persons of interest, an increase of 80 percent since 2012, it said.
The security service added that an increasing number of those people had “participated in armed combat, expressed their will to participate in armed compete or received terror training.” The security service added that an increasing number of those people had “taken part in an armed conflict, expressed willingness to participate in armed activity, or received terrorist training.”
The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, tweeted his condolences on Saturday, referring to “another cowardly terrorist attack on innocents.” Security was tightened at the airport and at train stations in the capital, Helsinki, about 100 miles to the east. The interior minister, Paula Risikko, said that the police had increased security and patrols across the country, and that border controls had been tightened. The national threat level remained the same as before the attack, the security service said.
Security was tightened at the airport and at train stations in the capital, Helsinki, about 100 miles to the east. The interior minister, Paula Risikko, said that the police had increased security and patrols across the country, and that border controls had been tightened. The national threat level remains the same as before the stabbing, the security service said in a news conference. The police would not comment on why the investigation had changed to involve suspicion of terrorism, other than to say there were indications of “some ideological feelings, background and thoughts.”
At the news conference on Saturday, the police would not comment on why the investigation had changed to involve suspicion of terrorism, other than to say there were indications of “some ideological feelings, background and thoughts.”