5 killed in Vienna terror attack; assailant shot dead
Attacker Kujtim Fejzulai was sentenced to 22 months in prison in April 2019 He had Macedonian roots and tried to join Daesh in Syria He was shot dead by police at the scene
These evil attacks against innocent people must stop. The US stands with Austria, France, and all of Europe in the fight against terrorists.”
Donald Trump, US President
UK’s thoughts are with the people of Austria — we stand united with you against terror.”
Boris Johnson,
British Prime Minister
After France, it is a friendly nation that has been attacked. This is our Europe. Our enemies must know who they’re dealing with. We will concede nothing.” Emmanuel Macron, French President
The fight against these assassins and those who instigate them is our common struggle. Germany will not ‘give in to hate that is supposed to divide our societies.”
Angela Merkel, German Chancellor
We strongly condemn last night’s terror attacks in Vienna, and express our full solidarity with the Austrian people in these very difficult times. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces
vienna — Five people died, including an assailant, and 17 others were wounded in a shooting in the heart of Vienna hours before a coronavirus lockdown started, Austrian authorities said on Tuesday. The dead attacker was a 20-year- old Austrian-North Macedonian dual national who had a previous terror conviction.
Two men and two women died from their injuries in the attack on Monday evening, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said. The suspected attacker was shot and killed by police.
Vienna’s hospital service said seven people were in life-threatening condition on Tuesday after the attack, the Austrian news agency APA reported. In total, 17 people were being treated in hospitals, with gunshot wounds but also cuts.
“It is now confirmed that yesterday’s attack was clearly an militant terror attack,” Kurz said. “It was an attack out of hatred — hatred for our fundamental values, hatred for our way of life, hatred for our democracy in which all people have equal rights and dignity.”
Interior Minister Karl Nehammer later said that the dead assailant, who had roots in the Balkan nation of North Macedonia, had a previous conviction under a law that punishes membership in terrorist organisations.
The attacker, named as Kujtim Fejzulai, was sentenced to 22 months in prison in April 2019 because he had tried to travel to Syria to join the Daesh group. He was granted early release in December under juvenile law.
Fifteen house searches have taken place and several people have been ar
rested, he added. The attacker, he said, “was equipped with a fake explosive vest and and an automatic rifle, a handgun and a machete to carry out this repugnant attack on innocent citizens.”
Authorities were still trying to determine whether further attackers may be on the run. People in Vienna were urged to stay at home if possible on Tuesday and children did not have to go to school. Some 1,000 police officers were on duty in Vienna on Tuesday morning.
Among those wounded in the attack was a police officer, said Nehammer. The shooting began shortly after 8pm (1900 GMT) on Monday near Vienna’s main synagogue as many people were enjoying a last night of open restaurants and bars before a month-long coronavirus lockdown, which started at midnight. —