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| Dutch shooting: Letter may suggest terror motive in Utrecht | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Dutch prosecutors investigating the murder of three people on a tram said a letter found in the gunman's getaway car was among the reasons why a terrorist motive was being seriously considered. | Dutch prosecutors investigating the murder of three people on a tram said a letter found in the gunman's getaway car was among the reasons why a terrorist motive was being seriously considered. |
| Three people were killed and three others seriously wounded in the attack in the central city of Utrecht. | Three people were killed and three others seriously wounded in the attack in the central city of Utrecht. |
| Turkish-born suspect Gokmen Tanis was arrested on Monday evening. | Turkish-born suspect Gokmen Tanis was arrested on Monday evening. |
| No connection has been found between Mr Tanis and the victims of the attack. | No connection has been found between Mr Tanis and the victims of the attack. |
| Police said on Tuesday that armed officers had arrested another suspect, a 40-year-old man, in Utrecht. A statement said he was "suspected of involvement" and his role was under investigation. | Police said on Tuesday that armed officers had arrested another suspect, a 40-year-old man, in Utrecht. A statement said he was "suspected of involvement" and his role was under investigation. |
| Two other men arrested on Monday were released and were no longer suspects, police said. | Two other men arrested on Monday were released and were no longer suspects, police said. |
| Prime Minister Mark Rutte laid flowers at the scene of the attack on Tuesday afternoon. In a statement he paid tribute to the people of Utrecht who had "remained calm despite the great threat". | Prime Minister Mark Rutte laid flowers at the scene of the attack on Tuesday afternoon. In a statement he paid tribute to the people of Utrecht who had "remained calm despite the great threat". |
| What did prosecutors say? | What did prosecutors say? |
| "So far a terrorist motive is being seriously taken into account. Among other things a letter found in the getaway car and the nature of the facts give rise to that," a statement said (in Dutch), without detailing the contents of the letter. | "So far a terrorist motive is being seriously taken into account. Among other things a letter found in the getaway car and the nature of the facts give rise to that," a statement said (in Dutch), without detailing the contents of the letter. |
| Prosecutors say a firearm was found when Tanis was detained. They say other motives have not been ruled out. | Prosecutors say a firearm was found when Tanis was detained. They say other motives have not been ruled out. |
| The red Renault Clio getaway car was stolen from the scene of the attack and later found in Utrecht's Tichelaarslaan close to where the suspect was arrested. | The red Renault Clio getaway car was stolen from the scene of the attack and later found in Utrecht's Tichelaarslaan close to where the suspect was arrested. |
| Owner Frans Hoogendijk said he had abandoned the car with the engine running when he saw people fleeing the tram and one shouted at him to run for his life. | Owner Frans Hoogendijk said he had abandoned the car with the engine running when he saw people fleeing the tram and one shouted at him to run for his life. |
| "I thought it was a bomb and leapt out of my car," he told the AD website. | "I thought it was a bomb and leapt out of my car," he told the AD website. |
| Neighbours had earlier described the suspected gunman as a "loser" and a petty criminal rather than a terrorist. | Neighbours had earlier described the suspected gunman as a "loser" and a petty criminal rather than a terrorist. |
| Dutch justice officials confirmed on Tuesday that he had been released from custody recently in a rape case, which was due to go to court in July. He was freed after promising to co-operate with authorities. He has been convicted of crimes this month as well as in the past. | |
| According to Dutch law Tanis must appear in court by Thursday. | |
| Who are the victims? | Who are the victims? |
| Two of the three people who died have been named: | Two of the three people who died have been named: |
| Three of the wounded are in a serious condition and Mayor Jan van Zanen visited one of them in hospital on Tuesday. Two are women in their early 20s and a man in his 70s. | |
| Flags were flying at half-mast on public buildings in the Netherlands on Tuesday and flowers were laid at the site of the attack in Utrecht's 24 Oktoberplein. | Flags were flying at half-mast on public buildings in the Netherlands on Tuesday and flowers were laid at the site of the attack in Utrecht's 24 Oktoberplein. |
| At the scene | At the scene |
| Anna Holligan, BBC News, Utrecht | Anna Holligan, BBC News, Utrecht |
| Sarah cycled to the scene to lay a fresh bouquet of tulips, her 13-month-old toddler, Jet, harnessed in a seat on the front of the bike. | Sarah cycled to the scene to lay a fresh bouquet of tulips, her 13-month-old toddler, Jet, harnessed in a seat on the front of the bike. |
| "I felt afraid to come out," she told me. "But I had to show my daughter that we have to be strong, to keep living." | "I felt afraid to come out," she told me. "But I had to show my daughter that we have to be strong, to keep living." |
| A note pinned to a bunch of roses read, "It hit right through the heart." | A note pinned to a bunch of roses read, "It hit right through the heart." |
| A Muslim man fell to his knees, his head bowed and hands cupped in silent prayer. | A Muslim man fell to his knees, his head bowed and hands cupped in silent prayer. |
| The victims appear to have been targeted at random. Among the tears and shows of solidarity, the overwhelming sense among the people is, it could have been one of us. | The victims appear to have been targeted at random. Among the tears and shows of solidarity, the overwhelming sense among the people is, it could have been one of us. |
| What is known about the suspect? | What is known about the suspect? |
| Police released Gokmen Tanis's name after the shooting as they searched his home and other addresses. | Police released Gokmen Tanis's name after the shooting as they searched his home and other addresses. |
| Prosecutors said he was known to police while friends told Dutch media that he had been in trouble on a number of occasions. | Prosecutors said he was known to police while friends told Dutch media that he had been in trouble on a number of occasions. |
| Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country's intelligence service was "looking into" the attack. | |
| Gokmen Tanis was not known for extreme religious beliefs, although he was once captured on video criticising a female reporter's clothing. | Gokmen Tanis was not known for extreme religious beliefs, although he was once captured on video criticising a female reporter's clothing. |
| A 47-year-old woman called Angelique told Algemeen Dagblad that Tanis was a drug user with a criminal record who was facing trial for raping her in 2017. She said he had recently been freed from custody after violating the conditions of an earlier release. | A 47-year-old woman called Angelique told Algemeen Dagblad that Tanis was a drug user with a criminal record who was facing trial for raping her in 2017. She said he had recently been freed from custody after violating the conditions of an earlier release. |
| "He's not a terrorist but a psychopath," she said. | "He's not a terrorist but a psychopath," she said. |
| The case is due to return to court during the summer. | The case is due to return to court during the summer. |
| Earlier this month he was given jail terms for shoplifting as well as burglary. In 2014 he was cleared of attempted manslaughter but given a jail term for illegal arms possession. | Earlier this month he was given jail terms for shoplifting as well as burglary. In 2014 he was cleared of attempted manslaughter but given a jail term for illegal arms possession. |
| Several reports said his marriage had fallen apart. A neighbour who grew up with the suspect told De Volkskrant newspaper that he did not go the mosque and the case had nothing to do with religion. "He's a lost boy with the IQ of a shrimp." | Several reports said his marriage had fallen apart. A neighbour who grew up with the suspect told De Volkskrant newspaper that he did not go the mosque and the case had nothing to do with religion. "He's a lost boy with the IQ of a shrimp." |
| What happened on Monday? | What happened on Monday? |
| At about 10:45 local time (09:45 GMT), police were called to reports of a shooting on board one of the city's trams at the 24 Oktoberplein junction. | At about 10:45 local time (09:45 GMT), police were called to reports of a shooting on board one of the city's trams at the 24 Oktoberplein junction. |
| One witness told local media that "a man started shooting wildly". | One witness told local media that "a man started shooting wildly". |
| Another witness told Dutch public broadcaster NOS that he had helped an injured woman when the tram came to an emergency stop. | Another witness told Dutch public broadcaster NOS that he had helped an injured woman when the tram came to an emergency stop. |
| "I looked behind me and saw someone lying there behind the tram," he said. "People got out of their cars... and they started to lift her up. | "I looked behind me and saw someone lying there behind the tram," he said. "People got out of their cars... and they started to lift her up. |
| "I helped to pull her out and then I saw a gunman run towards us, with his gun raised," he said. "I heard people yell 'Shooter! Shooter!' and I started to run." | "I helped to pull her out and then I saw a gunman run towards us, with his gun raised," he said. "I heard people yell 'Shooter! Shooter!' and I started to run." |
| The gunman then fled the scene, leading to the manhunt which lasted for much of Monday. | The gunman then fled the scene, leading to the manhunt which lasted for much of Monday. |
| A number of raids were reportedly carried out and counter-terrorism officers were pictured patrolling the streets near to where the attack happened. Police surrounded a building not far from the scene of the attack and arrested Mr Tanis on Monday evening. | A number of raids were reportedly carried out and counter-terrorism officers were pictured patrolling the streets near to where the attack happened. Police surrounded a building not far from the scene of the attack and arrested Mr Tanis on Monday evening. |