Identifying the attacker at Amsterdam station with signs of terrorism

Police shot dead the attacker at Amsterdam station on August 31. Photo: AP

At 12:10 p.m. on August 31, a man armed with a knife attacked passersby in the west tunnel of the station, seriously injuring two people. The perpetrator, who was shot dead by police, was identified as a 19-year-old Afghan man with a German asylum permit. The two seriously injured victims were taken to hospital.

The suspect is currently under police surveillance at the hospital and his phone is being searched, a police spokesman said. Dutch investigators said they are working closely with German authorities to get the most complete information about the suspect.

Following the attack, Amsterdam train station was briefly closed. Two train stations were temporarily closed but later reopened. However, the incident caused disruption to tram traffic.

Amsterdam Station, which serves more than 250,000 people every day, was disrupted after the attack. Photo: AP

Authorities have refused to give a reason for the attack. The attack came as the Afghan Taliban called for attacks on the Dutch military on August 30 after far-right politician Geert Wilders organized a cartoon contest depicting the Prophet Muhammad. The contest angered many Muslims and sparked protests. Wilders later canceled the contest to avoid any risk of Islamist violence.

In recent years, many attacks have been carried out in Europe in France, Belgium, Germany but not in the Netherlands (a country bordering or close to the three countries mentioned above).