B2 The Daily of Geopolitical Europe. News. Files. Reflections. Reports

News BlogPolice Terrorism

Austria. The army deployed as reinforcements in Vienna after a terrorist attack

(B2) Only hours after the news of the armed attack in the center of the streets of Vienna, Sebastian Kurz, the Chancellor, announced the deployment of the army to protect the buildings and other institutions of the Republic in the Austrian capital

(credit: Vienna tourist office)

Free the police force

The goal is affirmed: to free up the police forces as much as possible to allow them to concentrate on the fight against terrorism. With immediate effect. The commando hunters (Jagdkommando) were " put on alert in the night, from the barracks in Vienna. " We are ready to take orders “Said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. " Armored vehicles were also planned. The military police were also assembled in the Viennese barracks "says the Ministry of Defense.

A complex attack in the center of Vienna

A complex-type attack occurred on Monday (2.11) after 20 p.m. in the 1st district of Vienna, a typically tourist district. It started in the Seitenstettengasse, near the synagogue (closed at that time). Six other locations were targeted: Ruprechtsplatz, Morzinplatz, Salzgries, Bauernmarkt and Fleischmarkt, Graben (not far from St. Stephen's Cathedral). Several perpetrators were (apparently) involved, carrying shoulder-fired, automatic or semi-automatic rifles.

the location of the attacks (credit: Die Presse)

Emergency plan

The disaster emergency plan was triggered, with the recall of doctors to hospitals. Fifteen wounded by bullets were transported to the hospital very quickly, including several very seriously affected. Several died overnight. On balance, in the morning according to The basic, there are four dead, plus one of the suspects, killed by the police very quickly.

Shelter as a precaution

One or more perpetrators fled. The Austrian authorities have imposed a lockdown (confinement) with orders to stay at home, to avoid public places. Compulsory education has been abolished. And parents asked to keep their children at home this Tuesday, November 3 (before a closure due to Covid-19).

A follower of the Islamic State

The slaughtered man was heavily armed with an assault rifle and with an explosive belt “, which made fear the worst. This later turned out to be wrong. " He was an Islamic State sympathizer. In-depth investigations are taking place in his entourage. "says the Minister of the Interior, Karl Nehammer, this Tuesday (03.11) on Twitter. Aged 20, born in Austria and of Austrian nationality, he is of Albanian origin from North Macedonia, according to die Press. He was known to the police. Arrested when he wanted to go to Syria, he was sentenced to 22 months in prison and was conditionally released in December 2019 after serving two-thirds of his sentence.

(NGV)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

s2Member®