Portugal is considered one of the safest countries in the world and has so far been spared from major attacks. The shock in the country after a knife attack in a Muslim center in Lisbon is all the greater.
Two people have been killed in a knife attack at a Muslim center in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. In addition, several people were injured in the building near the Benfica Lisbon football stadium, the police said. The attacker was shot and injured and taken into custody. Despite several warnings, he approached the officers with a large knife.
According to a report by the TV station RTP, the assassin is said to be a man from Afghanistan. The widowed refugee is the father of three children. Because of his injuries, he underwent surgery in a hospital, the broadcaster reported. According to the broadcaster, the fatalities are two women aged 49 and 24 who worked in the center.
A police spokesman told the German Press Agency on request that a terrorist attack was assumed. RTP reported that experts from the national anti-terrorist unit were deployed in the Ismaili center, which was largely cordoned off, in addition to a large contingent of police.
Prime Minister António Costa offered his condolences to the families of the victims. It is too early to speculate about the motives of the perpetrator. “We have to wait for the results of the investigation,” he said. Portugal is considered one of the safest countries in the world. So far, it has been spared Islamist-motivated attacks.
The Ismaili Center, founded in 1996, claims to be the first religious, cultural and social meeting place for Ismailis on the European mainland. There are around 15 million Ismailis worldwide – mainly in India, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan and Iran. In Portugal, around 8,000 people belong to the religious community. They mainly come from Southeast African Mozambique (a former colony of Portugal). According to their own statements, the Ismailis reject any form of fundamentalism.
Source: Stern
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