Terror Motive Investigated In Ireland Refugee Knife Rampage

The migrant who went on a deadly knife and iron bar rampage in Ireland Thursday was an Egyptian asylum seeker who called himself Mohamed.

Police have said that terrorism is one line of inquiry in their investigation into the attack, which targeted three and left one man dead.

Other facts emerging Thursday morning, reported by the Irish Mirror, include that the man had filed his asylum claim just three days ago, after arriving in Ireland via Northern Ireland and Scotland, and that he had already been refused asylum in the UK.

The Egyptian national was just 18 years old and the man he killed has been named as Japanese factory worker Yosuke Sasaki, who was knifed as he walked home with headphones in, unaware of the danger.

The attacker went on to target two Irish men at separate locations before being apprehended by police. As Breitbart London reported, the incident began in Dundalk, Co. Louth, around 9 am on Wednesday morning.

The killer was said to be not cooperating with Irish police Wednesday night, who are considering both a terrorism motive as well as assessing the man’s mental health.

Gardaí have arrested a man following a stabbing incident in Dundalk. Avenue Road, Inner Relief Road and Seatown remain closed. pic.twitter.com/zldk4JCA8a

— Garda Info (@gardainfo) January 3, 2018

“A terror attack is certainly a line of inquiry we are looking at. We will endeavour to establish the suspect’s background including who they are, where they have come from and why are they here.

“Those are very, very important questions we’re trying to ask and answer,” Chief Superintendent Christy Mangan told the Irish Times.

“There will be an international dimension obviously. We will be speaking to the Egyptian authorities.”

According to the paper, investigators believe the man was stopped on New Year’s Day by police, who asked for his papers before instructing him to apply for asylum.

Jim O’Callaghan, Justice Spokesman Fianna Fáil, one of Ireland’s main parties, called on the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan to clarify the man’s status in the country.

“It’s worrying that, at this time, the authorities are unable to determine how exactly the perpetrator of this vicious attack entered the State,” he said.