A man accused of killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring five other people in a stabbing attack in Austria was motivated by “Islamic terrorism”, say authorities.
The victims were attacked in the southern city of Villach on Saturday.
A 23-year-old Syrian was arrested after the rampage which is being treated as an “Islamic terror incident”.
Interior minister Gerhard Karner said the suspect had alleged ties to the Islamic State group and radicalised himself online within a very short time period.
In November 2020, four people were killed by a gunman in the capital Vienna who was then fatally shot by police. The attacker, who had an automatic rifle and a fake explosive vest, had previously tried to join Islamic State before carrying out his rampage.
Speaking about the attack in Villach, Mr Karner told reporters that he felt “anger about an Islamist attacker who indiscriminately stabbed innocent people here in this city”.
Austria’s president Alexander Van der Bellen called the attack “horrific”, saying on social media that “no words can undo the suffering, the horror, the fear”.
Meanwhile, a 42-year-old Syrian man helped prevent the situation from getting worse by driving towards the suspect.
The man, who worked for a food delivery company, was thanked by state governor Peter Kaiser.
Austrian interior minister Gerhard Karner speaks at a news conference in Villach. Pic: Reuters
“This shows how closely terrorist evil but also human good can be united in one and the same nationality,” Mr Kaiser said.
The Free Syrian Community of Austria has distanced itself from the attack and expressed its deepest condolences to the victims’ families.
In a statement on Facebook, it wrote: “We all had to flee Syria, our home country, because we were no longer safe there – no-one left their country voluntarily. We are grateful to have found asylum and protection in Austria.
“Finally, we would like to emphasise: Anyone who causes strife and disturbs the peace of society does not represent the Syrians who have sought and received protection here.”
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