VICIOUS

Dutch Knife Attack on American Tourists Was Terrorism

U.S. victims not believed to have been targeted for their nationality.

A desire to avenge perceived “insults” to Islam was behind the stabbing attack on two 38-year-old American tourists in the Netherlands last week. Prosecutors said the attacker, named by local media as Jawed S., a 19-year-old Afghan with residency in Germany, who traveled to Amsterdam to carry out the attack, had a “clear terrorist motive.” The knifeman, who was shot and wounded by police, cited anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders during police questioning and said he was motivated by perceived insults to Islam in the Netherlands. Wilders recently announced and then canceled plans to hold a competition of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. The victims, who are still in hospital but expected to make a full recovery, were not targeted for their nationality, it is being reported.