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.

After Terrorist Attack in Villach: Pre-Trial Detention Requested

The man will be transferred from Villach to the Klagenfurt prison at noon, according to the authorities upon APA request. Three seriously injured individuals are still being treated in the intensive care unit, and their condition is stable, reported the hospital operator Kabeg.

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 - hit the perpetrator 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 attacked his car.

Knife Purchased Three Days Before Attack

Meanwhile, more and more details are coming to light. The 23-year-old had apparently radicalized over the internet within a few weeks. In his apartment, he had IS flags on the wall. The weapon, a folding knife with a ten-centimeter blade, was purchased just three days before the attack, reported the "Salzburger Nachrichten".

Investigators reiterated on Monday that the suspect had not previously been criminally charged in 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 reportedly has family ties according to the Ministry of the Interior. The reason was an unpaid fine imposed under administrative law following a forgery of documents - he had used a fake ID - from 2021. Administrative penalties do not lead to a police record.

Fear of Military Conscription as Asylum Reason

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

Since January 2021, he had asylum status in Austria. 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 the BFA, there were no known 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 any crimes. 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 criminal activity by 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 the main square in Villach. Meanwhile, emotions were running high. The "Kleine Zeitung" reports considerations of establishing a citizen's militia 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 cooperation. But a citizen's militia would be counterproductive; security is ensured by the police," said police spokesman Rainer Dionisio. The establishment of a citizen's militia is "in no way" supported.

Memorial Gathering in Klagenfurt

Meanwhile, a mourning rally is planned for Monday evening at the Neuen 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 Islamist terror," wrote the initiator, Deputy Mayor Ronald Rabitsch (SPÖ), on Facebook.

Carnival Recording to Take Place as Planned

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

The ORF television production will proceed 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 as to 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 as to whether the large parade on Carnival Saturday will take place. If at all, there is a possibility that an alternative route will 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.