BREDA, 12/09/07 - The man who killed a 22-year-old student with an axe on Saturday is a former American soldier frustrated about the war in Iraq. His intention was to murder Dutch soldiers, as local newspaper BN/De Stem reported yesterday.
On Saturday, 22-year-old Thijs Geers was suddenly attacked at Roosendaal train station by a man who hit him in the head with an axe. The student died in hospital. A 41-year-old American described as Carlos H. has admitted to committing the act, his lawyer Peter Gremmen confirmed in the newspaper.
According to his own statement, the American had intended to kill Dutch special forces who are stationed near the railway station. Carlos H. spent the night before the murder in the bushes at the army barracks. When his mission there failed, the man wished to kill a Dutch public official. When this also failed he eventually chose a random victim.
The American declared to police that he wished to commit an act against the Netherlands because the country is assisting the "war of Bush", as his lawyer stated in the newspaper. An eyewitness declares in the newspaper that after bashing Geers' head in, the man waited "emotionlessly" for the police to arrive.
An American relation of the suspect says the man has been staying in the Netherlands for some time. He led a rambling existence but did live in an apartment in Groningen for a while.
In the past the suspect worked for the US Air Force. His relation says he did not serve in Iraq. "He was extremely angry at everything that involved the American government though and was strongly opposed to the war in Iraq."
On Saturday, 22-year-old Thijs Geers was suddenly attacked at Roosendaal train station by a man who hit him in the head with an axe. The student died in hospital. A 41-year-old American described as Carlos H. has admitted to committing the act, his lawyer Peter Gremmen confirmed in the newspaper.
According to his own statement, the American had intended to kill Dutch special forces who are stationed near the railway station. Carlos H. spent the night before the murder in the bushes at the army barracks. When his mission there failed, the man wished to kill a Dutch public official. When this also failed he eventually chose a random victim.
The American declared to police that he wished to commit an act against the Netherlands because the country is assisting the "war of Bush", as his lawyer stated in the newspaper. An eyewitness declares in the newspaper that after bashing Geers' head in, the man waited "emotionlessly" for the police to arrive.
An American relation of the suspect says the man has been staying in the Netherlands for some time. He led a rambling existence but did live in an apartment in Groningen for a while.
In the past the suspect worked for the US Air Force. His relation says he did not serve in Iraq. "He was extremely angry at everything that involved the American government though and was strongly opposed to the war in Iraq."
