Radicalization and Weapon Purchase: New Details About the Villach Attacker Revealed

Following the terrorist attack in Villach, where on Saturday a 23-year-old Syrian killed a 14-year-old and seriously injured five people, the public prosecutor's office has requested pre-trial detention for the perpetrator.

The man is currently considered a lone perpetrator according to the current state of investigations. His intention was to kill "men of fighting age," as he stated after his arrest according to APA information. There are currently no indications of possible accomplices.

There are also no indications suggesting a mental illness and thus possible incapacity of the Syrian. "He answered the questions directed at him during his police interrogation very clearly and understandably," said the spokesperson for the Klagenfurt public prosecutor's office, Markus Kitz, to the APA. Therefore, at the current stage of the investigation, a reason for excluding guilt is not assumed. The man's two roommates also did not make any observations pointing in that direction. Nevertheless, the public prosecutor's office is obtaining a psychiatric report to gain insights into the man's mental state. In cases of intentional homicide, the involvement of a psychiatric expert to assess suspects is quite common.

The 23-year-old had radicalized himself within a few weeks via TikTok. During an initial, superficial inspection of his phone, propaganda material from the terrorist militia "Islamic State" (IS) was found. The Syrian had also recorded a video with a "declaration of joining" the IS and saved it on the device, but did not send it. According to APA information, his plan was to stab people until he was shot by the police. After that - according to his plan - the police should forward the video. Online contacts with other IS supporters or relevant chat groups were not apparent during the superficial review of the phone. It remains to be seen whether a detailed evaluation of the phone data will provide further insights.

When asked why he only attacked men, the 23-year-old reportedly explained during his interrogation that the IS forbids violence against women and the elderly. He adhered to this.

After Terrorist Attack in Villach: Pre-Trial Detention Requested

While the murder suspect is to be admitted to the Klagenfurt prison on Monday, three seriously injured individuals are still being treated in the intensive care unit. Their condition is stable, the hospital operator Kabeg reported.

The 23-year-old randomly stabbed passersby with a knife in downtown Villach on Saturday afternoon. A courageous food delivery driver - who, like the perpetrator, is also from Syria - ran the perpetrator over with his car, causing him to drop the knife and be apprehended. "I didn't have time to think, I saw he had a knife and knew what was happening," the 42-year-old told the media. However, his intervention was misunderstood in the first few seconds - passersby believed he was also an attacker and hit his car.

Knife Purchased Three Days Before Attack

Meanwhile, more and more details about the accused have come to light. In his apartment, he had IS flags on the wall. The weapon used, a folding knife with a ten-centimeter blade, was purchased just three days before the crime, reported the "Salzburger Nachrichten".

The investigators reaffirmed on Monday that the suspect had not previously been criminally prosecuted in either Austria or Germany and was therefore not known to the police. However, in 2024, he served a substitute prison sentence of four days in Germany - where he has family ties according to information from the Ministry of the Interior. The reason was an unpaid fine imposed under administrative law for document forgery - he had used a forged ID - from 2021. Administrative penalties do not lead to a police record.

Fear of Military Conscription as a Reason for Asylum

The 23-year-old came to Austria in 2019. He justified his asylum application with the fear that he would be conscripted into the military in his Syrian homeland and then have to commit war crimes, APA learned. According to the public prosecutor's office, the man applied for asylum in Vienna. After his arrival in Austria, he also applied for asylum in Germany, but was sent back to Austria from there.

Villach Attacker Had Asylum in Austria Since 2021

He had asylum status in Austria since January 2021. He applied for it after his arrival in Austria in September 2020, the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) announced on Monday.

According to its own statements, the BFA was not aware of any criminal police reports or criminal convictions by Austrian authorities. The European databases also did not provide any indication that the Syrian had applied for asylum in another EU member state or had committed a crime. Therefore, the procedure was conducted in Austria. That he was recognized is not a big surprise. In 2021, nearly 78 percent of asylum applications from Syrians were approved, according to the relevant statistics.

Immediately after the attack in Villach, a revocation procedure was initiated by the BFA on the same day. In the case of criminality of asylum seekers, the principle of acceleration applies, which means that such a procedure is initiated as soon as the report is received. However, an actual revocation can only occur for asylum seekers upon a final conviction for a particularly serious crime.

Roommates of 23-Year-Old Interviewed

In Villach, the 23-year-old worked as a newspaper seller according to his own statements. He lived here in a shared apartment with two other men. "They were, of course, interviewed and checked, but they are inconspicuous," said public prosecutor's office spokesman Markus Kitz in response to an APA inquiry. The roommates, as well as family members, noticed that the Syrian had increasingly withdrawn recently and had almost no contact with anyone.

Within three months, the man had radicalized himself through TikTok videos to the point where he eventually carried out the attack. According to current investigations, this occurred exclusively through the social network, and he had no personal contact with anyone regarding this. He also prayed several times a day, but always alone.

Considerations for a Citizen's Militia in Villach

On Sunday, hundreds of people lit candles and mourned at Villach's main square. Meanwhile, emotions were running high. The "Kleine Zeitung" reports on considerations that a citizen's militia might be established in Villach. The police are not in favor of this idea: "We rely on the cooperation of the public and welcome any positive form of collaboration. However, a citizen's militia would be counterproductive, as security is ensured by the police," said police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio. They do not support the establishment of a citizen's militia "in any way."

Memorial Rally in Klagenfurt

Meanwhile, a memorial rally is planned for Monday evening at the Neuer Platz in Klagenfurt. "Let's all send a signal together to the Draustadt! We must never let such criminals take away our solidarity. For our open society and against radical Islamic terror," wrote the initiator, Deputy Mayor Ronald Rabitsch (SPÖ), on Facebook.

Carnival Recording to Proceed as Planned

Despite the terrorist attack, the television recordings of the sessions of the Villach Carnival Guild will proceed as planned this week. As the media spokesperson of the guild, Christoph Pfeiler, stated in response to an APA inquiry, no decision had been made on Monday about whether the large parade on Carnival Saturday will take place.

The ORF television production will be carried out as planned during the three sessions from Thursday to Saturday. However, the accompanying receptions and dance events have been canceled. The decision was made by the board of the Carnival Guild together with the city and ORF. "There are commitments and already fixed plans for the sessions to be recorded," said Pfeiler. The Congress Center, where the sessions take place, is in direct view of the crime scene.

Politicians from the city and the region have already decided that they will not attend the sessions. Otherwise, there have been no cancellations, according to the Carnival Guild: "On the contrary, there are rather inquiries about whether the sessions will actually take place as planned." Some have already planned their travel from all over Austria. The decision was not made lightly, and: The Carnival Guild fundamentally believes that "such attackers should not be given the satisfaction of seeing city life completely collapse," said Pfeiler.

Parade on Carnival Saturday Uncertain

No decision was made on Monday about whether the large parade on Carnival Saturday will take place. If it does, an alternative route might be chosen - because the "traditional" route would pass directly by the spot where the 14-year-old youth died. Perhaps, according to Carnival Chancellor Karl Glanznig to ORF, the carnival festivities could be channeled through an organized parade, because: "The people of Villach will not let the carnival be banned."

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.