Afghan who stabbed two American tourists in Amsterdam ‘to protect the Prophet Mohammed’ is jailed for 26 years
- Jawed S., 20, stabbed two Americans at Amsterdam station in 2018 terror attack
- Court has ordered him to serve 26 years and eight months and pay £2.6 million
- He travelled from Germany to Holland to ‘protect the Prophet Mohammed’
- Wheelchair bound victim has a spinal cord injury and the other was wounded
Dutch judges on Monday sentenced an Afghan man to 26 years and eight months in jail for stabbing two American tourists at Amsterdam’s Central station in a terror attack.
The 20-year-old, identified only as Jawed S., was also ordered at Amsterdam district court to pay almost £2.6 million in damages following the August 31, 2018 assault.
One of the two victims remains in a wheelchair after the attack, which sent midday commuters at the city’s busiest station into a panic. Police shot Jawed S. in the lower body before arresting him.
In this image from August 2018, Dutch police officers point their guns at a wounded 19-year-old man who was shot by police after stabbing two people in the central railway station in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. A Dutch court today sentenced Jawed S. (pictured right of image on the ground) to almost 27 years in prison for the stabbing of two American tourists which left one of them wheelchair bound. Police stopped the attack by shooting the man in the lower body
‘He never showed any regret or remorse during his trial, repeatedly saying he would do the same again if his religion was insulted,’ the judges said.
‘The risk of a repeat offence is therefore very high and the court finds it essential that society is protected against him as long as possible.’
During his trial at a heavily-fortified courtroom, Jawed S. said he travelled to the Netherlands from Germany to ‘protect the Prophet Mohammed.’
He also mentioned anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders, and his knife assault came a day after the far-right MP announced he was cancelling moves to stage a cartoon competition to caricature the Prophet Mohammed.
This file photo shows police cars gather around the scene of Jawed S’s terror attack in August last year. On the day of his sentencing on Monday, judges said the Afghan born man had travelled from Germany to the Netherlands to ‘kill as many people as possible’
Dutch prosecutors charged Jawed S. with two counts of attempted murder with a terrorist aim and judges found all accusations against him had been proven.
‘He (Jawed S.) came to the Netherlands to kill as many people as possible,’ the judges said.
The wheelchair-bound victim has a severe spinal cord injury, while the second American man was stabbed in the right chest and arm.
‘Despite the fact that the threat was short-lived, it had a devastating effect on the two Americans and their spouses,’ the judges said.
The wife of one victim also had a miscarriage two months after the attack.
‘The question whether she’ll ever have children remains,’ the judges said.