Swiss suspects in Vienna terror attack released from custody
Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved
Both Swiss nationals who were arrested after the November 2020 attack in Vienna have been released from pre-trial detention.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/ac
The older of the two – who was 24 when arrested – was released recently. The Attorney General’s Office told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Tuesday that it was no longer proportionate for him to remain in custody. The younger suspect – who was 18 at the time – was released from pre-trial detention in mid-April for the same reasons.
Both suspects will have to comply with certain conditions failing which they could be re-incarcerated.
The two Swiss men were arrested in early November 2020 in the northern Swiss city of Winterthur in connection with the Vienna terror attack. The two men were already facing criminal proceedings for terrorism charges in 2018 and 2019, which are still ongoing. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has taken over these proceedings from Winterthur and Zurich prosecutors.
Vienna attack
The Swiss Attorney General’s Office is investigating links between the two suspects and the Vienna gunman, who was shot dead by Austrian police during the attack last year. They visited the gunman in Vienna in July and were in social media contact around the time of the attack, according to media reports.
Swiss federal prosecutors are also investigating the duo’s possible complicity in attempts to buy ammunition in Slovakia.
Winterthur, situated northeast of Zurich, has a recent history of Islamic radicalisation. In recent years, an imam was deported from the city to Somalia for hate preaching and another person, dubbed the “Emir of Winterthur”, was sentenced to a 50-month jail term for recruiting jihadist fighters. A mosque in the city has also been closed down by the authorities.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Prevention and tech could help save billions on Swiss healthcare costs, says Deloitte
This content was published on
By focusing on prevention and technology, it would be possible to reduce Switzerland's healthcare bill by CHF30 billion a year by 2040, according to Deloitte Switzerland.
Environment director warns of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland
This content was published on
The director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has warned of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland in an interview with SonntagsBlick on Sunday.
Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
This content was published on
The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.
This content was published on
The water temperature of the Rhine River could rise by up to 4.2° degrees Celsius by the end of the century due to the warming planet, scientists warn.
This content was published on
The Federal Council wants to explore the possibilities of joining the European Union’s €800-billion rearmament programme without compromising Swiss neutrality.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss president condemns deadly attack in Vienna
This content was published on
Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga has called for solidarity with Austria and France following attacks in both countries.
Winterthur terror suspects were already under investigation
This content was published on
The duo, aged 18 and 24, were arrested in the Swiss city of Winterthur on Tuesday – the day after a gunman shot four people dead in the Austrian capital. They were both being prosecuted for suspected terror-related offences, Swiss federal police confirmed on Wednesday. The exact nature of the existing criminal investigations has not…
How Switzerland and France approach ‘Islamic separatism’
This content was published on
Could a controversial French action plan to tackle “parallel societies” within the Muslim community resonate in neighbouring Switzerland?
Terror threat remains high in Switzerland, warns Federal Intelligence Service
This content was published on
Terrorist attacks inspired by the Islamic State group remain likely in Europe, with Switzerland not invulnerable to such threats, a new report states.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.