27 bomb threats against shopping centers, train stations, schools: The perpetrator is said to be a Swiss from the canton of St.Gallen
In recent weeks, Austria has been rocked by a series of bomb threats. Now the security authorities have identified a Swiss man as the suspected author. He is said to have made threats before – from a psychiatric institution.
Had to be evacuated on September 30th because of a bomb threat: Graz main station.
At 7:30 p.m. this Monday evening, September 30th, the main and east train stations in Graz will be cleared and searched for explosives. The Styria State Police Department had previously received a bomb threat via email. After a few hours, the police can give the all-clear. But more large-scale operations will follow.
The incident in Graz marked the start of a series of 27 anonymous bomb threats that have since shaken Austria. Cities across the country were affected, such as St. Pölten, Klagenfurt, Bregenz, Linz and Graz. The threats were often directed against train stations, but also against other facilities such as schools, a bank or a shopping center. The threats led to extensive evacuations and cordons. According to the Austrian Federal Railways, the first five threats alone affected 450 trains and thousands of passengers.
20-year-old in focus
Now the alleged author of the messages has been identified. It is not an Islamist, as was initially speculated in the media. Rather, investigators have identified a 20-year-old Swiss man as a suspect, as the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior announced on Monday. Whether he is responsible for all 27 threats is currently being investigated. The alleged threatener lives in the canton of St.Gallen. A European arrest warrant was issued against him. According to the Austrian authorities, he is currently still at large.
The media office of the St.Gallen public prosecutor’s office confirmed that it received a request for legal assistance from Austria in connection with the bomb threats on Monday afternoon. This request for legal assistance is now being examined. “For this reason, we cannot provide any further information about this case at this time,” said the public prosecutor’s office.
Threats from a psychiatric institution
As the “Kronen Zeitung” reported, the suspected Swiss had already made threats on May 22nd. He called the police station in Linz and said: “In five minutes the whole house will explode.” 200 people had to leave the building immediately. The investigators found that the 20-year-old Swiss man, who was now suspected again, made the threatening call – from a psychiatric clinic.
It is not known whether the man is still being treated in an institution and whether he sent the most recent threatening emails from there. The Austrian authorities now want to shed more light on the background to the crimes.
The investigation was coordinated by the Austrian State Security. The state security service at the federal level, especially that in Vorarlberg, as well as various public prosecutors were also involved. The authorities quickly managed to locate the suspect in Switzerland.
The alleged perpetrator always chose the same pattern: He informed the state police headquarters of the affected federal state by email that explosive devices had been planted. The bomb threats caused significant disruption to public life, provoked police operations and generated high costs. Various criminal offenses are possible. It is still unclear whether the Austrian public prosecutor’s office or a public prosecutor’s office in Switzerland will conduct the proceedings.
In Austria the man is threatened with a hefty sanction. “We would be in the area of severe coercion and a prison sentence of up to five years is envisaged,” said criminal law expert Alois Birklbauer from the Johannes Kepler University to ORF.
