Swedish migration officials on Wednesday said the primary suspect in Monday's stabbing was a 35-year-old Eritrea-born man whose residency application was rejected last month.

The Migration Agency said the man had been living in an asylum center and had met with agency staff to discuss his case hours before the attack in the discount furniture store in Vasteras, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) west of Stockholm.

"There was a decision to extradite him to Italy where he already had residency," agency spokesman Fredrik Bengtsson said, adding that he could not disclose what had been discussed at the meeting due to confidentiality rules.

A 55-year-old Swedish woman and her 28-year-old son were killed in the incident.

Investigation continues

Local police were continuing to investigate and earlier said they were not aware of a motive for the stabbings and were waiting to question the suspect, who was in hospital recovering from serious injuries. Police had also detained another man, a 23-year-old also from Eritrea who lived in the same asylum center as the 35-year-old suspect. The younger man has denied involvement in the stabbing.

Swedish police have increased security at housing set up for asylum seekers as a precaution against any possible backlash. The attack came as Europe struggles to deal with unprecedented numbers of people seeking refuge from war and poverty in many Middle Eastern and African nations, including Eritrea.

The Ikea store where the attack occurred reopened to the public on Wednesday. Its management temporarily banned the sale of knives.

se/gsw (AP, dpa, AFP, Reuters)