Turku attack suspect confesses desire to behead passerby

The suspect of the terror attack that left two dead and eight injured in Turku, western Finland last August appeared in court on Monday.

The hearing took place in the auditorium of the fenced prison in Turku. Abderrahman Bouanane bared his face to the public for the first time.

In the opening statement, prosecutor Hannu Koistinen said that the suspect continued his attempts to hurt people even after police had arrived on the scene. It showed his intention to kill as many people as possible.

Koistinen added that the desire of the alleged "was to kill and perhaps to die by a police bullet".

The 23-year-old Moroccan who stabbed to death two women in central Turku confessed on Monday that his initial intention was to kill two or more people by means of decapitation.

The trial will last until the middle of May, according to national broadcaster Yle.

At the end February, Finnish prosecutors announced that Bouanane would be charged on two counts of murder with terrorist intent and eight counts of attempted murder with terrorist intent.