Head of investigations commissioner Christa Granroth (left), Head of Criminal Police Robin Lardot and deputy director of Turku area police Kari Puolitaival in a press conference in Turku on 19 August
In a press conference in Turku today at 14 pm local time Finnish police released the following information about yesterday’s knife attacks in Turku.
Assailant selected women as victims, the two injured men intervened to help when they came under attack
Both casualties are Finnish women
Victims between 15 and 67 years old
One Italian, one Swede and one British citizen among injured
The assailant is conscious, being treated in hospital with non life-threatening injuries
He has not co-operated with the police, except confirming his age as being 18 years old
4 other Moroccans are arrested, from private residents and a reception center for asylum seekers in Turku
One international arrest warrant has been issued, The 5th suspect, also a Moroccan citizen, is not in Finland at the moment
The assailant and other suspects mainly asylum seekers
The assailant arrived in Finland in the beginning of 2016
Behaviour of the assailant before the event gives reason to investigate the attack as an act of terrorism
A van belonging to one of the arrested is being investigated
The suspects have not been on police surveillance list
No links to terrorist organisations or criminal groups yet confirmed
Police not saying if the assailant or arrested had prior criminal records in Finland
According to police the attack was premeditated
Investigations going on to see if the Turku and Barcelona events were related; Finnish police is co-operating with Europol on this case
One immigrant owned pizzeria has been attacked in Turku after the event, police investigating the motives, asking for calm
