Turku attacker sentenced to life term imprisonment

The district court of southwest Finland on Friday sentenced the attacker of Turku murders to life term imprisonment.

The court awarded the punishment to Moroccan young man Abderrahman Bouanane as the charges brought against him of killing two women and wounding eight other at market square on August 18, 2017 were proved beyond doubt.

It is the first time that a crime in Finland has been legally classified as terrorist attack, local media said.

The 23-year-old convict admitted the incident of stabbing to death two women and injuring eight other people.

The court also ordered the convict to pay compensation of EUR about 450,000 to families of the victims for their sufferings and damages.

The average length of a "life term imprisonment" in Finland is more than 14 years.

A prisoner may be released after 12 years, while the longest prison term has lasted for 22 years, reported national broadcaster Yle.

Bouanane arrived in Finland in December 2016 and applied for asylum in the country.

His first application was rejected. He committed the murders when an appeal against the decision of rejection remained waiting for the final decision. He was reportedly influenced by religious radicalism during the waiting period.

The trial of the case began in April this year. The court found the man guilty of two counts of murder with terrorist intent and eight counts of attempted murder with terrorist intent, and decided to give life sentence, stating that the attacks were carried out in "a premeditated and exceptionally cruel manner".