Insults to Islam the reason behind Amsterdam terrorist attack

Jawed S., the 19-year-old man arrested for stabbing two American tourists at Amsterdam Central Station on Friday, told the authorities that he committed the attack because people in the Netherlands insult Islam, the Public Prosecutor said on Monday afternoon, NU.nl reports.

According to S., the Netherlands "often insults the prophet Mohamed, the Koran, Islam and Allah". The Afghan man, who has a residency permit in Germany, mentioned PVV leader Geert Wilders while being questioned. But said nothing about Wilders' now scrapped plan to hold a cartoon competition featuring the prophet Mohammed.

On Twitter Wilders said that "Muslim terrorists hate our way of life and our freedoms. They answer Islam criticism with violence, like this Jawed S."

The Prosecutor also said that there are no indications that S. was working with others. The man is currently being psychologically examined. On Monday afternoon he was remanded into custody for another two weeks.

Two 38-year-old American tourists were seriously injured in the attack. The police believe the victims were randomly chosen. They are still in hospital. The American embassy asked that their privacy be respected.

The police stopped the attack by shooting S. He was injured and those injuries are still being treated.