Alleged terrorist in fatal Erasmus Bridge stabbing remanded to jail in first hearing

A magistrate overseeing the investigation into a possible terrorist attack at the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam last week ordered the only suspect in the case to remain in detention for at least another two weeks while the investigation into the incident continues. Ayoub M., a 22-year-old living in Amersfoort, is accused of using knives in the murder of Phillip Winter, a 32-year-old German urban planner who moved from Hamburg to Rotterdam earlier this year. A 33-year-old Swiss man was also wounded in the incident.

M. previously faced charges in the attempted murder of his mother in early 2022. An extension of M.'s jailing by a period of 14 days was the maximum allowed in Monday's preliminary hearing. A three-judge panel at the District Court in The Hague can extend M.'s pre-trial incarceration by up to 90 days at the arraignment hearing on October 7. The case will be heard by the court in The Hague for the sake of independence, as Rotterdam District Court employees witnessed the attack.

It could become more clear during that hearing if the Public Prosecution Service (OM) will continue to pursue charges of murder with terrorist intent and attempted murder with terrorist intent, as prosecutors announced last week. The OM said it was their belief that terrorism was M.'s motive at the time, but said other scenarios were still under investigation.

“The investigation conducted so far provides indications that the suspect may be ideologically driven. For example, the suspect shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ several times during the commission of the acts,” the OM announced on Friday.

The attack started at a skatepark at the iconic bridge, an incident which shocked Rotterdam Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb. M. is suspected of first stabbing the Swiss man, who was treated for his injuries at a hospital, before attacking Winter. The German man died at the scene despite attempts to revive him.

Witnesses said M. then made his way towards a crowded area before he was overpowered by a group of five or six people, including a kickboxing personal trainer. M. was allegedly found with two kitchen knives at the crime scene.

Court declared Ayoub M. "completely insane" after violent stabbing of his mother

The suspect was diagnosed two years ago as suffering from a severe mental disorder, with symptoms including hallucinations and delusions. M.'s Amersfoort residence is a facility which provides both fully monitored forensic psychiatric care, as well as housing for those who still need help but are transitioning to a more independent form of living. M. is currently being held in restricted custody, and is only allowed contact with his attorney.

He was arrested and charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault for attacking his mother with a knife and slashing her throat. That incident happened on February 3, 2022, in Otterlo, Ede, several days after M. was taken into custody for another crime.

"The suspect attacked his mother with a knife and cut her neck and throat with it. She used all her strength to protect herself and tried to stop the suspect. Eventually she managed to grab the knife from the suspect, causing her to sustain cuts to her hand," the Gelderland District Court in Zutphen ruled at trial seven months later.

"It is easy to imagine that the suspect's mother was terrified. A few days prior to this, the suspect was guilty of resisting arrest and damaging a police cell."

Ayoub M. acquitted of trying to kill his mother, but ordered into psychiatric care

The OM and defense attorney agreed with a psychiatrist who determined M. suffers from either schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder, and was "completely insane" at the time of the incident. He was suffering from hallucinations and delusions, including voices telling him what to do.

His psychosis was so severe, that psychiatric experts were unable to carry out testing to determine if M. could distinguish between reality and his internal thoughts, dreams and feelings.

The Court agreed with the prosecution, defense, and psychiatric examiners and acquitted M. on the basis that the "suspect suffered from a pathological disorder of the mental faculties at the time of committing the proven facts." At the same time, the Court was worried about the high recidivism risk associated with psychotic suspects.

He was ordered to spend one or two periods of seven weeks in a forensic psychiatric center every year, and was ordered to live full time in a residential institution for as long as the probation service deemed it necessary. From there, he could transition to a less monitored institution. The court also imposed several other limitations to his freedom, like barring him from traveling abroad, and a ban on using alcohol or drugs.