Malmesbury mosque attacker was a psychiatric patient
The Hawks say the Somalian man who fatally stabbed two worshippers at the Malmesbury mosque last month, was schizophrenic and was being treated at a Cape Town psychiatric hospital.
He has been formally identified as 23-year-old Nur Arawal.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi says it is now clear that there was no terrorism link to the attack, which occurred towards the end of Ramadan.
“He was a Somalian refugee, who had serious psychological challenges since 2013,” Mulaudzi says, “His remains have been given to his family for repatriation and burial while IPID (the Independent Police Investigative Directorate) is still investigating the shooting of the suspect”.
Arawal was shot dead by police, after charging at them and refusing to surrender.
The Muslim Judicial Council's Shaykh Isgaak Taliep says they are relieved the investigations have been concluded.
“Many rumours have spread via social media, and even mainstream media. We hope the outcome of the Hawks’ investigation brings this matter to a close,” he says.
Meanwhile , the Hawks are still busy with their probe into the attack at a Verulam mosque in May in which one person was killed and two others were wounded.