‘Confused’ Islamist stabs three bystanders in The Hague

A 31-year-old Islamist injured the three people with a knife. He did so in the vicinity of the Johanna Westerdijkplein in The Hague. The man was overpowered by police agents and was shot in his leg. He is known to the police.

The stabbing took place in the vicinity of Hollands Spoor train station and the Haagse Hogeschool. The victims, a 21-year-old from Zoetermeer, a 41-year-old from the city and a still unknown victim were taken to the hospital. The suspect was also transported to the hospital and is still being questioned.

A trauma helicopter with the Mobile Medical Team (MMT) was summoned from Rotterdam and heavily armed agents of an anti-terror unit (Rapid Response Team) were on the scene very quickly.

“The man is only known to the police because of confused behavior. At the moment there are no signs that more is happening “, according to the police. The National Criminal Investigation Department is investigating the shooting by the police. This is common when agents use their service weapon, they said.

Mayor Pauline Krikke of The Hague called in the chief prosecutor and the police chief for consultations about the incident. A police team was also set up to coordinate the police deployment.”At the moment there are no signs that there is more to the incident,” the mayor said in response to questions about the jihadist nature of the attack.

Victim support was provided by a shelter for witnesses to the incident. Films that were made by witnesses have meanwhile been circulating on social media. The investigating team have requested that these images and any other images be made available for research purposes. Some photos have been taken down from sites.

Inmiddels verwijderde foto. #Breaking #DenHaag #Bevrijdingsdag #DSI pic.twitter.com/rtQDX1ZYZN

— Unknow404 (@unkn0w404) May 5, 2018

On the Johanna Westerdijkplein, residents of a large complex on the quay, close to where the stabbing took place, could not enter or leave their homes. The area had been cordoned off by law enforcement.

The 31-year-old “confused” attacker, according to eyewitness posts in social media, shouted “Allahu Akbar” before and during his stabbing spree.

On the Fijnjekade an injured Islamist believed to be the suspect of the stabbing was shot and tagged by police officers.

After the incident, a police helicopter was seen circling above the location.

De politie meldde zojuist dat de aangehouden verdachte van de steekpartij Joh. Westerdijkpl in DenHaag bij de politie bekend is in verband met verward gedrag. In het item op onze website tevens een foto van de aanhouding van de net neergeschoten verdachte. https://t.co/rgn1QnQzo9 pic.twitter.com/bnh2szQbtx

— Redactie Regio15.nl (@regio15) May 5, 2018

There has been no official statement that the incident is terror related and the reason behind the attack remains unknown, officials say, but their statement was mocked on social media.

Foto vanuit een andere hoek. Mes duidelijk zichtbaar. #DenHaag #bevrijdingsdag #TheHague pic.twitter.com/tapQyBp1mb

— Unknow404 (@unkn0w404) May 5, 2018

In yet another incident, a 16-year-old asylum seeker from Algeria stabbed a man in Ter Apel. The youth was caught when he rummaged in the van of a supermarket, according to a report from De Telegraaf on Saturday.

Bystanders were able to pin him down, but then he pulled out a knife and stabbed a man. Then, according to a witness, he fled “straight to the AZC [asylum centre]”.

The courageous victim was operated on and is out of danger. The asylum seeker has been arrested.