UK Edition
Canadian police treat attack on officer in Edmonton as terrorism
Canadian police said they were treating an attack outside an American football game on Saturday night as terrorism after a car hit a policeman, and a U-Haul van was involved in a dramatic police chase.
Rod Knecht, Edmonton Police chief, said that a suspect had been taken into custody after a high-speed chase and detectives believe he acted alone.
The incident unfolded when an officer controlling traffic outside a Canadian Football League game in the city was hit by a car and then attacked with a knife. The Chevrolet Malibu rammed a traffic barrier before sending the officer flying 15ft through the air, according to witnesses.
The officer was taken to hospital but was not in a critical condition, while the driver fled on foot.
Shortly before midnight on the same evening, a U-Haul van was stopped by police. Mr Knecht said the driver’s name was similar to that of the owner of the car involved in the first incident.
The van then sped off with police in pursuit, eventually crashing. The driver was arrested.
Mr Knecht said the 30-year-old Edmonton man was known to police.
"It is believed at this time that these two incidents are related," he said. "It was determined that these incidents are being investigated as acts of terrorism."
An Isil flag was found in one of the vehicles.
Canadian police later told a news conference on Sunday that the suspect was a Somali national seeking refugee status.
Police declined to provide his name but said authorities had investigated a complaint in 2015 that he was espousing extremist ideology and had determined that he did not pose a threat at the time.
Austin Elgie, manager of The Pint bar, said he saw the van race by with police giving chase.
"There were like 10 cop cars following him. ... It was crazy," he told the Associated Press. "It just came around the corner, ripping. I thought at first he was pulling over for the cops coming by, but he was clearly the one they were chasing."
Saturday was military appreciation day at the football game between the Edmonton Eskimos and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Canada’s chief of defence staff was present and two fighter jets conducted a fly-past just before kick-off.
Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed concern and outrage Sunday over a "terrorist attack" in which five people were injured by a driver who ran over police and pedestrians in a violent rampage.
"While the investigation continues, early reports indicate that this is another example of the hate that we must remain ever vigilant against," he said in a statement.