May 21 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms' ( META ) Facebook

removed the account of the suspected shooter of Slovak Prime

Minister Robert Fico after the attack, the company and a state

agency said on Tuesday, as the government continues to probe

whether the attacker had help.

Fico is recovering in hospital and no longer in immediate

danger after being hit by four bullets last Wednesday, in the

first major assassination attempt on a European political leader

for more than 20 years.

Slovak government officials said on Sunday, four days after

the shooting, that the attacker may have not been a "lone wolf"

as first believed, with one factor being that the suspect's

Facebook and communication history was deleted after the attack.

Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok had said an

investigation team had been set up, which would also look into

whether the suspect acted as part of a group of people who had

been encouraging each other to carry out an assassination.

On Tuesday, Meta said it had removed the attacker's account

on the night of the incident and had informed Slovak authorities

about the removal. It remained in touch with authorities and law

enforcement, it said.

News websites Dennik N and Aktuality were the first to

report Meta had removed the attacker's Facebook profile.

The state Council for Media Services, which had been in

contact with Facebook and other social media platforms

immediately after the attack, also said in a statement that Meta

had informed it on Tuesday of the account removal.

Sutaj Estok told broadcaster TA3 on Tuesday evening the most

likely version was still the attacker had accomplices but

investigators were working on both possibilities, including him

acting alone.

"I guarantee we will investigate everything," he said.

Sutaj Estok had said on Sunday when discussing the possible

involvement of more people that "I think that two hours after...

committing this act, the perpetrator had all Facebook and

communication history erased, and it was not erased by him or

apparently by his wife."

Officials have said the attack on Fico was politically

motivated. Local news media say the suspect - identified by

prosecutors as Juraj C. - is a 71-year-old former security guard

at a shopping mall and the author of three collections of

poetry.

There has been no official statement made public from the

suspect, or any lawyer representing him.