Turku stabbings defined as terrorist acts

The two murders and eight attempts committed by Abderrahman Bouanane in August 2017 in Turku remains as "crimes with terrorist intent", after he gave up appeal on Monday.

Bouanane's lawyer Kaarlo Gummerus said on Monday Bouanane does not want to have anything to do with the case any longer and the lawyer has canceled the appeal to a higher court. The sentence from last year in a lower court thus became valid.

The 23-year-old Moroccan man admitted stabbing to death two women and injuring eight others at a market square in central Turku in 2017.

Legal experts quoted by local media said the sentence would not have been changed even if the terrorist intent was denied. But as a terrorist convict Bouanane may have to sit in prison longer than the usual 12 years that a life sentence means in Finland.

Even though Bouanane did not deny having committed the deeds, he had objected the view that he had wanted to arouse widespread fear in the society.

Lawyer Gummerus said in a written statement to the media that Bouanane has been thoroughly briefed about the situation and the fact that he cannot appeal against the verdict, if the current appeal is canceled.

Turku Appeals court began processing the appeal in January. With the cancellation of the appeal the case is closed.

Bouanane does not want to comment on the situation, national broadcaster Yle reported.

Bouanane arrived in Finland in December 2016 applying for asylum. His first application was rejected. He made an appeal and was waiting for the final decision when he launched the attack.

Reports said he was influenced by religious radicalism during the waiting period.