Cops noticed terror suspect shortly before Amsterdam CS attack
Police officers were keeping an eye on Jawed S., the 19-year-old Afghan suspected of stabbing two tourists at Amsterdam Central Station, shortly before the attack on Friday. So-called 'spotters' - special police officers at the station - noticed that he was acting strangely, Amsterdam police chief Pieter Jaap Aalbersberg said on television program Pauw on Monday.
"He was wandering around aimlessly, not just looking around like people looking for their way", Aalbersberg said. S. was at the station for 45 minutes before he stabbed two American tourists. The police shot and arrested him shortly afterwards. According to Aalbersberg, S. had two "really big knives" with which he wanted to make more victims. The police chief is proud of the actions of his officers. "They saved many people."
The association for law breakers BWO is angry at Aalbersberg over his interview on Paauw, ANP reports. "Aalbersberg was not allowed to tell this, because the suspect is in restricted custody, he was not even allowed to be on the program for this case", the BWO said in a statement. The association wants an explanation from the Public Prosecutor.
S. told the Dutch authorities that 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.
The two victims, both 38-years-old, were randomly chosen, the police believe. They sustained serious injuries in the attack and are still in hospital. The American embassy asked that their privacy be respected.
