Swiss probe knife attack injuring 2 as possible terrorism

GENEVA (AP) - Swiss authorities are investigating as a possible "terrorist" attack the stabbing of two women in a department store in the southern city of Lugano, for which a suspect has been arrested. Police said the women's injuries were not life-threatening.

Swiss federal police said on their Twitter feed that an attack 'œpresumably of terrorist motivation'ť took place in in the Italian-speaking city of Lugano on Tuesday afternoon, and federal prosecutors were investigating.

The federal prosecutors' office said that 'œan alleged terrorist attack against several people in a department store'ť had taken place.

Police in the southern Ticino region, which includes Lugano, said a 28-year-old Swiss citizen living in the Lugano area had allegedly attacked two women, wounding one person in the neck with a sharp weapon.

In a statement, the Ticino police said one of the victims sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries, while the other had minor injuries.

Catherine Maret, a spokeswoman for the federal police, said the suspect was 'œknown to police'ť and had 'œappeared recently in police investigations with regard to terrorism'ť - specifically jihadism. She declined to comment further.

She declined to comment on Swiss media reports indicating that the attacker shouted 'œAllahu Akbar'ť - God is great - during the incident.