By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
AMSTERDAM (Worthy News) – A knife-wielding assailant in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, seriously wounded five people in what the government said may have been a deliberate terrorist attack.
The victims were identified as a 67-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man from the United States, a 73-year-old woman from Belgium, a 26-year-old man from Poland and a 19-year-old Dutch woman from Amsterdam.
“This afternoon, five people were injured in a horrific stabbing incident in the city center. Police and emergency services were immediately on the scene. With the help of bystanders, the police were able to quickly arrest a suspect,” said Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema after Thursday’s violence.
“The police investigation is in full swing and is currently the top priority. We hope to gain more clarity soon about the background of this horrific stabbing incident. My heart goes out to the victims, their families, and their loved ones,” she added in a statement monitored by Worthy News.
The attack occurred at around 3:30 p.m. local time and lasted several minutes before the assailant was stopped by a passerby near the city’s Dam Square, according to witnesses and officials.
A witness on Dam Square told a reporter that “suddenly, a chilling scream was heard,” after which “some panic” broke out. The suspect in the Amsterdam stabbing appeared confused, according to bystanders. “I heard a scream, and everyone started running,” said a man who was near Dam Square at the time of the stabbings. “People looked around in shock.”
A young woman who witnessed the attack said that this type of violence “happens more often these days, also in other countries.” Visibly shaken, she referred to incidents in Germany in recent months where perpetrators stabbed victims or drove into crowds with a car, which turned out to be terrorist attacks.
RANDOM VICTIMS
Authorities said in a statement that no motive had been established for the attack but that police were considering a scenario where the man targeted victims at random.
However, when pushed by reporters, Dutch Justice Minister David van Weel did not rule out a terrorism investigation would be launched.
Van Weel expressed his appreciation for “the swift action” taken by police.
“They responded incredibly quickly and reacted very effectively. They did a fantastic job,” he recalled.
In Amsterdam, police cordoned off the area, and several ambulances and a trauma helicopter were called to the scene.
Thursday’s attack comes while the European Union is on heightened alert for terror attacks following similar incidents elsewhere, including in Germany.
At least some of the incidents have been linked by anti-Islam parties to the growing number of migrants entering the Netherlands, including many from Muslim-majority nations.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A government ban on major social media platforms that enraged young Nepalis has spiraled into the country’s deadliest political violence in decades, with authorities saying Sunday that at least 72 people have been killed and hundreds more injured during protests reflecting years of frustration over corruption, inequality, and “curbs on freedoms.”
Throughout the Hill Country, crosses, words of Jesus, prayers and messages of hope are written on memorials honoring nearly 150 killed from the catastrophic July 4 flash flood.
The NATO military alliance has begun rolling out its defensive posture on its eastern flank bordering Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. NATO leaders said the new equipment is aimed at deterring potential Russian aggression after at least 19 Russian drones entered Polish territory and Romania also reported a violation of its airspace.
Israel’s surprise strike on Hamas political leaders in Qatar showcased its growing arsenal of advanced ballistic missiles and its ability to deploy them at long range with precision, according to an exclusive report by the Wall Street Journal.
More than 100,000 people packed into central London on Saturday for what organizers billed as the largest free speech rally in British history. The “Unite the Kingdom” march, spearheaded by activist Tommy Robinson, featured a live video appearance by billionaire Elon Musk and a tribute to slain U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Christians in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province were among those struggling to survive Thursday, while in Indonesia, at least 19 people were confirmed dead after flash floods struck the tourist island of Bali and other regions as deadly monsoon waters swept across parts of South Asia.
Much of the world is mourning after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the born-again Christian conservative leader, who inspired his generation and whose widow praised him as a loving husband with a deep faith in Jesus Christ.