Knifeman who stabbed nine in Minnesota mall was an Islamic State soldier, terror group says

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St Cloud, Minnesota, Police Chief William Blair Anderson and other officials hold a press conference Sunday giving updated information on the mass stabbing at the Crossroads Centre mall. Photo: AP

Published: 8:15am, 19 Sep 2016Updated: 8:15am, 19 Sep 2016

A man who stabbed nine people at a mall in central Minnesota before he was shot dead is a “soldier of the Islamic State,” the militant group’s news agency said on Sunday, as the FBI investigated the attack as a potential act of terrorism.

The man, who was wearing a private security uniform, made references to Allah and asked at least one person if they were Muslim before he assaulted them at the Crossroads Centre mall in St Cloud on Saturday, the city’s Police Chief William Blair Anderson told reporters.

Authorities declined to identify the suspect, who was killed by an off-duty policeman, because the investigation is underway.

Somali-American leaders hold a press conference Sunda in St Cloud, Minnesota, to address the stabbing at Crossroads Centre Mall. Photo: AP

The Federal Bureau of Investigation considers the episode a “potential act of terrorism,” Richard Thornton, FBI special agent in charge of the agency’s Minneapolis division, said at a news conference on Sunday.

He said the investigation is in its early stages and it was not known if the man had discussed his plan of attack with others.

Authorities had said earlier there were eight stabbing victims. One injured person transported himself to a hospital and was not initially counted, St Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said at the news conference.

Three victims remained hospitalised as of Sunday but none had life-threatening injuries, Kleis said.