Pirkanmaa District Court has ordered a 23-year-old man to remand custody, over suspicions he carried out a stabbing spree that injured four people in the city of Tampere last week.
Police are investigating the case as four counts of attempted murder.
Four adults, first three women and then a man, were stabbed near the Ratina shopping mall in central Tampere on Thursday afternoon. Some of them sustained serious injuries. The first two victims were struck several times with a knife.
The suspect attended Monday's remand custody hearing, using a magazine to cover his face as members of the media took photos in the courtroom.
Police have said that the suspect has admitted to carrying out the attacks, but denied having a racist, terrorist or political motive.
The man's defence attorney, Kaarle Gummerus, said it was clear that the suspect was involved in last week's stabbings.
"There was a bit of discussion about whether there are probable grounds to suspect him of attempted murder or attempted manslaughter. The court has now ruled this way, let's see where the investigation leads," Gummerus said, adding that he has spoken with the suspect about the course of events.
Criminal history
"Our discussions have gone well and have been open, but they are only between us at this point," the attorney said.
Police apprehended the suspect shortly after the attacks on Thursday afternoon. On Friday police announced that he had confessed to the crimes.
According to police, an ongoing preliminary investigation suggested that the suspect had been planning the attack for some time.
According to Detective Inspector Ossi Kaario, indications that the act was planned ahead of time contributed to the criminal charges being tightened from four counts of attempted manslaughter to four counts of attempted murder.
According to attorney Gummerus, the use of a bladed weapon or an axe in an attack would require some kind of advance planning.
The suspect is thought to have selected his victims at random.
The suspect has a criminal history, with convictions for violent- as well as property crimes.
Charges related to Thursday's attacks need to be filed by mid-November.
