Vilach piercing attacks associated with ICs, say employees

A piercing in Austria, killing a 14-year-old boy and injuring five others, was an Islamist attack, Austrian officials said.

The attack took place on Saturday in Vilach, a city near the border with Italy and Slovenia.

A 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker was detained at the scene.

Interior Minister Gerhard Carner said a flag of the Islamic State group was found in his apartment, while state police chief Michaela Kollovis said he had sworn allegiance to the group.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Carner said it was a “Islamist attack with IS Links by an attacker, which, according to investigations, is obviously radicalized online, via the Internet, in a very short time.

“So those who are in position of responsibility, the police, the authorities, must draw the necessary conclusions.”

Carner said the suspect had a valid residence permit, had no criminal record and had not attracted the attention of the authorities before.

Earlier, the authorities said the suspect had a temporary residence permit and was waiting for a decision on his asylum request.

The attack took place around 16:00 local time (15:00 GMT) near the city’s main square.

Three of the five people insured during puncture still receive hospital treatment. Two of them were in serious condition since Saturday night.

Delivery worker, also a Syrian man who drove his car to the attacker, helped prevent more injuries, police said.

The attack comes against the backdrop of a national debate on the laws of asylum and election last year, which saw that the End Freedom Party was going to the top for the first time.

The party failed to form a coalition government, leaving Austria President Alexander van der Belen to weigh whether to call Snap elections, form a minority government, or invite other parties or a group of experts to try and set up administration.

Herbert Kickl, the leader of the freedom party, seized the Vilach attack, saying on Saturday that Austria needed “strict asylum repression”.