The man who yelled Allahu Akbar' as he stabbed a police officer at a Michigan airport on Wednesday has been identified as Amor Ftouhi, an approximately 50-year-old Canadian man who is originally from Tunisia.

Ftouhi repeatedly stabbed Lt. Jeff Neville from behind at Bishop airport near Flint leaving him in serious but stable condition. The attacker was tackled to the ground by fellow police officers.

This afternoon the FBI confirmed it is treating the episode as a terror attack and said Ftouhi also yelled about Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan while he carried out his attack.

The agency said he has 'a hatred of the US' and traveled to the US from Canada where he apparently worked as an insurance agent.

At an afternoon press conference, an FBI spokesman confirmed that they are investigating the stabbing as an act of terrorism.

Ftouhi is being charged with violence at an international airport, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.

Authorities also gave more details about Ftouhi's movements before he tried to murder Lt. Jeff Neville by stabbing him in the neck.

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Amor Ftouhi (left) has been identified as the man who stabbed Lt. Jeff Neville (right) at the Flint, Michigan airport on Wednesday

Officials say Ftouhi, who lives in Quebec, crossed into the U.S. on June 16 via Lake Champlain in New York.

According to Le Journal De Montreal he is originally from Tunisia and his picture was released to Fox 2 Detroit.

This morning, he arrived at the airport and walked around a bit - never going past security into the terminals.

They say he spent some time on the first level of the airport, before going upstairs to a restaurant. He then went into a bathroom, dropped his baggage there and then came back out to attack Neville.

Ftouhi stabbed Neville in the neck with a 12-inch knife while yelling 'Allahu Akbar'.

The saying means 'God is great' in Arabic, and is often shouted by Islamic terrorists before attacks or suicide bombings.

The FBI spokesman also said that Ftouhi said something to the extent of 'you have killed people in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan and you're all going to die'. He added that it was clear the Ftouhi had a 'hatred for the U.S.'

Ftouhi was taken into custody within a minute of the attack.

Authorities said there's no indication that Ftouhi was connected to any international terror organization, or that he was part of any wider plot.

Officials also gave an update on Neville's condition, saying he is now 'resting comfortably' in satisfactory condition at the hospital.

He was rushed to the hospital after the incident this morning in critical condition, but his condition improved after undergoing surgery. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Neville was at his post at the top of a set of escalators just before 10am when he was attacked from behind by a man wielding a knife similar to a Bowie knife. Above, the airport Wednesday

The FBI is reportedly investigating the stabbing as a 'possible act of terror'. Above, the airport on Wednesday

Witnesses said that the weapon that the attacker used was similar to a Bowie knife, like the one above

The airport was evacuated after the stabbing Wednesday morning. Above, evacuees rest near a concrete barrier

Police took the suspect into custody, but have not yet released his identity. Above law enforcement at the scene on Wednesday

Police dogs search cars in a parking lot at Bishop International Airport, Wednesday morning, June 21, 2017, in Flint, Michigan

A police dog and his handler patrol a different part of the airport parking lot on Thursday

Sources told NBC 25/Fox 66 that Ftouhi tried to buy a gun before the attack, but was denied one so he bought a knife instead. The whole incident inside the airport was caught on video, the sources added

A witness at the airport told MLive that he saw the cop on his knees, bleeding form the neck.

'The cop was on his hands and knees bleeding from his neck,' said Ken Brown. 'I said they need to get him a towel.'

Brown, who was dropping his daughter off at the airport at the time, said he also saw a man being detained not far from a dropped knife.

Another witness told WJRT that the knifeman's face was 'totally blank' as he carried out the attack.

Neville (pictured left and right) was retired from the Genesee County Sheriff's Office

Neville (above) had been working at the airport since 2001. Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell told WJRT that Neville was an 'amazing deputy'.

A witness at the airport told MLive that he saw the cop on his knees, bleeding form the neck. Above, officers at the airport on Wednesday

A police officer sets up a flare to block the turn lane into Bishop International Airport on Wednesday

Michigan State Police talk outside Bishop International Airport after the stabbing on Wednesday

FBI Detroit spokesman Tim Wiley, center, walks over to brief the media at Bishop International Airport on Wednesday

FBI Detroit spokesman Tim Wiley bows his head after briefing media at Bishop International Airport on Wednesday. He said it was too soon to know if the shooting was an act of terrorism

A Michigan State Police officer escorts a man at Bishop International Airport on Wednesday

Neville has worked as an officer at the airport since 2001. He is currently second in command with the airport police.

Before joining the airport, he worked for two decades at the Genessee Sheriff's Office. Sheriff Robert Pickell toldWJRT that Neville was an 'amazing deputy'.

The airport was closed for most of the day while the FBI investigated, but reopened shortly before 4:30pm.

Airport officials wrote on Facebook just before 10am that all passengers are safe and were being evacuated. They said anyone flying in or out of the airport should stay tuned to their Facebook page for news about when they will be reopening.

At one point more than 100 people were standing on the sidewalk outside of the airport.

Other passengers were seen sitting down near a concrete barrier outside the airport.

The airport was evacuated after the incident. Airport officials said all passengers were safe

Out of an abundance of caution, the Flint City Hall is also operating under heightened security, with police officers stationed around the building.

'Right now we are still awaiting more information about the situation at Bishop Airport this morning,' Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said. 'My thoughts and prayers are with all of our law enforcement officers who work to service and protect us each and every day. I want the public to know that several agencies are involved and working to ensure the situation is under control. However, at this time we are taking extra precautions just to be safe.'

The White House said Wednesday afternoon that President Trump has been briefed on the incident.

Flint has gained national attention in recent years for its water crisis. It's estimated that 100,000 residents were exposed to high levels of lead in the local water supply. While the water quality returned to an acceptable level earlier this year, residents are continuing to use bottled water until the city replaces its lead pipes.

An officer with a bomb-sniffing dog searches the airport after the incident Wednesday morning