The man who stabbed three people in The Hague before being shot by police had an extremist motive for the attack, the public prosecution department said in court on Monday.

However, there is no evidence that Malek F was linked to a terrorist organisation when he attacked the three people in May, while shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’, prosecutors said at F’s second remand hearing.

The department says the 31-year-old, who has had a history of disturbed mental health since he arrived in the Netherlands as a Palestinian refugee from Syria, should be remanded in custody while the investigation continues.

F, who wrote Facebook posts saying that ‘unbelievers should go to hell’ has had several spells in psychiatric care. His family said earlier this year they intend to file a complaint against healthcare institution Parnassia for failing to act on earlier signs that he was in poor mental health.