Manhattan terror attack: 5 Argentines, 1 Belgian among 8 dead

Witnesses said that the suspect was shouting Allahu Akbar following the incident.

Five Argentines and one Belgian national are among the eight killed in New York's Lower Manhattan area on Wednesday after a truck mowed down civilians. The incident took place at a bike path on West Street, just a few blocks away from the World Trade Center.

It has now been confirmed that the incident was a terror attack.

The Argentinian government is "deeply shocked by the death of the compatriots and is working to help the relatives and friends of the victims," the Argentina foreign ministry said.

"Argentina reaffirms its strongest condemnation of terrorist acts and violence in all its manifestations and reiterates the need to deepen the fight against this scourge," it added.

The 29 year old driver was shot by the police after he jumped out of the vehicle. Officials said that the man was screaming and holding fake guns in both hands.

Witnesses said that the suspect was shouting Allahu Akbar following the incident.

Mayor Bill de Blasio described the incident as a "cowardly act of terror".

"This was an act of terror, and a particularly cowardly act of terror aimed at innocent civilians," he said.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo described the incident as a "lone wolf" attack.

OneIndia News