Canadian police have charged a Somali refugee with five counts of attempted murder after they said he stabbed a police officer and ran down several pedestrians with a car in Edmonton, Alberta, in an apparent act of terrorism.
The suspect, a 30-year-old man whom police did not identify, had been investigated two years ago for promoting extremist ideology but not deemed a threat, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Marlin Degrand said an "exhaustive investigation" into the man in 2015 did not uncover sufficient evidence to pursue charges.
![Royal Canadian Mounted Police Assistant Commissioner Marlin Degrand, left, listens as Edmonton Police Chief Rod Knecht speaks about an attack in Edmonton. Photo / AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/2HCIOZI5KQMMXICUIUF73XOS5A.jpg?auth=7d10424b370806b70076023381404222a04dd84e47250986a2f7b6b8474e4039&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
Canadian media identified the suspect as Abdulahi Hasan Sharif.