The man accused of driving the truck that killed eight people and injured 11 near the World Trade Center in Manhattan, United States, on Tuesday was an Uber driver, The New York Times reported.

An Uber official said the 29-year-old from Uzbekistan, Sayfullo Saipov, had passed the company’s background check. “We have been in contact with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and have offered our assistance,” the official was quoted as saying. “We will remain in close contact with law enforcement and the FBI to assist with their investigation.”

The official added: “We are aggressively and quickly reviewing this partner’s history with Uber, and at this time we have not identified any related concerning safety reports.”

Another Uzbek immigrant who is believed to have met the attacker said Saipov was a “very good person” who “liked the United States” and was happy all the time. “He did not seem like a terrorist, but I did not know him from the inside,” Kobiljon Matkarov told the New York Times.

Saipov came to the US in 2010, and has lived in Ohio, Florida and New Jersey.

Victims identified

Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs identified the five Argentine citizens killed as Hernán Mendoza, Diego Angelini, Alejandro Pagnucco, Ariel Erlij and Hernán Ferruchi, CNN reported. A Belgian national also was a victim of the attack, Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders said.

India has said the none of its citizens were injured in the attack.

Many leaders reacted to the attack on Twitter:

The attack happened shortly after 3 pm local time (after 12.30 am Wednesday IST). Saipov drove a truck through a crowded path in Manhattan. After mowing down people, he smashed into a school bus, stopped and came out holding two handguns and shouted a statement “consistent with a terror attack”.

United States President Donald Trump ordered authorities to step up an “already extreme vetting” process for foreign travellers after the attack.