By Stephanie Angerer
11.07.2024
The 40-year-old was suspected of planning an attack on St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Christmas Eve.
At around 6 a.m., the suspected terrorist was found dead in the Vienna Police Detention Center, just a few hours before he was to be deported to Russia, as the Krone first reported.
“Despite immediate resuscitation measures, the man might only be confirmed dead. Based on current knowledge, third-party negligence can be ruled out,” said police spokesman Mattias Schuster in response to a KURIER query.
Attacks Planned
The 40-year-old is said to have planned attacks on Cologne Cathedral and St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Christmas Eve with a married couple and a German-Tajik. The suspects were subsequently arrested in Vienna and Germany shortly before Christmas. Since the end of May, the four suspects who planned an attack on St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna are no longer in custody; the KURIER reported.
However, in consultation with the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA), the quartet was sent directly to the Police Detention Center and there into deportation detention. Subsequently, their residency permits were revoked and deportation was declared permissible. The reason given was that they posed a “significant risk”.
Investigations into Terrorist Organization
The four suspects and three other accused have been or are being prosecuted by the public prosecutor for terrorist organization (§278b StGB) in connection with terrorist offenses (§278c StGB) are being investigated. There is a suspicion – although no longer urgent – that they might be a terrorist cell of the radical Islamist group “Islamic State Khorasan Province” (ISPK).
However, recent excavation work searches for a possible ISPK weapons cache in a forest near Sieghartskirchen (Tulln district) and in a ravine in Hinterbrühl (Mödling district) were unsuccessful. Only metal parts and wire were found, but no evidence to support the suspicion.
Second Party Facing Deportation
The 30-year-old Tajik was considered from the beginning as the main suspect. As his legal representative (Gregor Klammer law firm) confirmed on Thursday followingnoon in response to an APA inquiry, he is now in Tajikistan following his deportation. The 27-year-old Turkish woman is expected to be returned to her original homeland this week.
Are you in a desperate situation and need help? Talk to other people regarding it. The suicide prevention portal of the Ministry of Health offers help for people with suicidal thoughts and their relatives. Contact details of aid organizations in Austria can be found at www.suizid-praevention.gv.at. In Austria, women who experience violence can find help and information from the women’s helpline at: 0800-222-555, www.frauenhelpline.at; from the Association of Autonomous Austrian Women’s Shelters (AÖF) at www.aoef.at; the Vienna Intervention Center once morest Violence in the Family/Vienna Violence Protection Center: www.interventionsstelle-wien.at and the 24-hour women’s emergency number of the City of Vienna: 01-71719 as well as the women’s shelter emergency number at 057722 and the Austrian Violence Protection Centers: 0800/700-217; police emergency number: 133)
The suspicion was too thin, the public prosecutor’s office explained at the time. However, three of the four accused were not released. They were seamlessly transferred to the Rossau Police Detention Center – they were to be deported from there. One Tajik is already back in his homeland.
Terror Suspect Dies in Austrian Police Custody
By Stephanie Angerer
11.07.2024
The 40-year-old was suspected of planning an attack on St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Christmas Eve.
At around 6 a.m., the terror suspect was found dead in the Vienna Police Detention Center. Only a few hours before he was to be deported to Russia, as the Krone first reported.
“Despite immediate resuscitation measures, the man might only be confirmed dead. Based on current knowledge, third-party negligence can be ruled out,” said police spokesman Mattias Schuster in response to a KURIER query.
Attacks planned
The 40-year-old is said to have planned attacks on Cologne Cathedral and St. Stephen’s Cathedral on Christmas Eve with a married couple and a German-Tajik. The suspects were subsequently arrested in Vienna and Germany shortly before Christmas. Since the end of May, the four suspects who planned an attack on St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna are no longer in custody; the KURIER reported.
However, in consultation with the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA), the quartet was sent directly to the Police Detention Center and there in Deportation detention. Subsequently, their residency permits were revoked and deportation was declared permissible. The reason given was that they posed a “significant risk”.
Investigations into terrorist organisation
The four suspects and three other accused have been or are being prosecuted by the public prosecutor for terrorist organisation (§278b StGB) in connection with terrorist offences (§278c StGB) are being investigated. There is a suspicion – although no longer urgent – that they might be a terrorist cell of the radical Islamist group “Islamic State Khorasan Province” (ISPK) have formed.
However, recently the excavation work searches for a possible ISPK weapons cache in a forest near Sieghartskirchen (Tulln district) and in a ravine in Hinterbrühl (Mödling district) were unsuccessful. Only metal parts and wire were found, but no evidence to support the suspicion.
Second party facing deportation
The 30-year-old Tajik was considered from the beginning as the main suspect. As his legal representative (Gregor Klammer law firm) confirmed on Thursday followingnoon in response to an APA inquiry, he is now in Tajikistan following his deportation. The 27-year-old Turkish woman is expected to be returned to her original homeland this week.
Are you in a desperate situation and need help? Talk to other people regarding it. The suicide prevention portal of the Ministry of Health offers help for people with suicidal thoughts and their relatives. Contact details of aid organizations in Austria can be found at www.suizid-praevention.gv.at. In Austria, women who experience violence can find help and information from the women’s helpline at: 0800-222-555, www.frauenhelpline.at; from the Association of Autonomous Austrian Women’s Shelters (AÖF) at www.aoef.at; the Vienna Intervention Center once morest Violence in the Family/Vienna Violence Protection Center: www.interventionsstelle-wien.at and the 24-hour women’s emergency number of the City of Vienna: 01-71719 as well as the women’s shelter emergency number at 057722 and the Austrian Violence Protection Centers: 0800/700-217; police emergency number: 133)
The suspicion was too thin, the public prosecutor’s office explained at the time. However, three of the four accused were not released. They were seamlessly transferred to the Rossau Police Detention Center – they were to be deported from there. One Tajik is already back in his homeland.