FBI investigating alleged Islamic State-inspired Virginia stabbing

The alleged attacker, 20-year-old Wasil Farooqui may have tried to sneak into Syria

The FBI has launched a federal terrorism investigation into a stabbing that took place on Saturday night in Roanoke, Virginia.

The FBI has been looking into whether the attacker was trying to behead his victims in an alleged ISIS-inspired assault, ABC News reported. The attacker allegedly injured a man and woman at an apartment complex in Roanoke, yelling Allah Akbar as he attacked them with a knife.



20-year-old Wasil Farooqui, the alleged attacker, had travelled to Turkey and might have tried to sneak into Syria where the Islamic State has been recruiting and inspiring followers. Known to the FBI,  Farooqui was arrested on Saturday by Roanoke County Police on charges of assault with malicious wounding.

He is being held without bond at the Western Virginia Regional Jail, according to sources. Farooqui and his two alleged victims were hospitalised following the attack. In a statement, Adam Lee of the FBI's Richmond field office said the bureau had been working with police after the incident transpired on Saturday evening.



"While I cannot discuss details of the investigation at this time, I do want to reassure the community that we are working to determine the nature of the incident," the statement read. It was not known whether Farooqui had a lawyer.

This article originally appeared on ABC News.