Finnish police said on Friday a man held over a stabbing attack in the southwestern city of Tampere on Thursday in which four people were injured told them he had no racist or political motive for the deed and had attacked people randomly.

Finnish police say a stabbing attack that wounded four people outside a mall in Finland isn't believed to be a terror or racist attack.

The suspect in Thursday's attacks said that he did not know any of the victims and chose them at random. He has a previous record of violent crimes, including an assault conviction in June.