Anti-Semitism: Zurich attacker radicalised in Tunisia and online
Fehr once again described the knife attack on the Orthodox-Jewish man from Zurich as a terrorist attack. "It doesn't help if we call it something else."
KEYSTONE/KEYSTONE/GAETAN BALLY
The 15-year-old who attacked an orthodox Jewish man in Zurich on March 2 became radicalised in Tunisia and on internet forums, Zurich's security director said on Monday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA
العربية
ar
معاداة السامية: منفّذ هجوم زيورخ متطرّف “له صلة قوية بتونس”
Investigations are still progressing in earnest, Mario Fehr said at the presentation of Zurich’s crime statistics. It is now reasonably clear where the teenager became radicalised. “There is a strong link to Tunisia,” Fehr said.
The young person had lived in Tunisia between 2017 and 2021. Another important factor was internet forums promoting radicalisation, where he spent a lot of time.
Fehr once again described the knife attack on the Orthodox-Jewish man from Zurich as a terrorist attack. “It doesn’t help if we call it something else.” He also repeated his call for the juvenile criminal law to be tightened.
In the case of such serious acts of violence, a tightening of the law would be appropriate, he said. He also believed that the revocation of citizenship made sense in such cases. “I don’t see why we as a society always have to take responsibility for everything that happens somewhere in the world.”
The 15-year-old Swiss national with a Tunisian immigrant background is in custody until further notice. On the evening of March 2, he attacked a 50-year-old Jewish man with a knife and seriously injured him. In a video in Arabic, the teenager declared his allegiance to Islamic State (IS).
More
More
Debates about deportation and image follow Zurich anti-Semitic attack
This content was published on
The stabbing of an Orthodox Jewish man comes amid growing concerns about anti-Semitism in Switzerland. Some politicians now want a harsh response.
This news story has been written and carefully fact-checked by an external editorial team. At SWI swissinfo.ch we select the most relevant news for an international audience and use automatic translation tools such as DeepL to translate it into English. Providing you with automatically translated news gives us the time to write more in-depth articles. If you want to know more about how we work, have a look here, and if you have feedback on this news story please write to english@swissinfo.ch.
External Content
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Almost finished… We need to confirm your email address. To complete the subscription process, please click the link in the email we just sent you.
Related Stories
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Switzerland triggers unprecedented special status for Ukrainian refugees
This content was published on
Production in Switzerland's secondary sector fell in the second quarter of 2025. The decline was more pronounced in the construction sector than for industry.
Swiss army recruits remain in hospital after gruelling test exercise
This content was published on
Four potential recruits for the elite Swiss grenadier unit were hospitalised last week after taking part in a gruelling exercise in hot weather. Three remain in hospital with one placed temporarily in an artificial coma.
University of Basel to mark 125th anniversary of Nietzsche’s death
This content was published on
This month the University of Basel is celebrating the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, who was a professor there from 1869 to 1879. August 25th marks the 125th anniversary of his death.
Trump tariffs: Swiss brands struggle to adapt to 39% tariff
This content was published on
Swiss brands like Victorinox, the manufacturer of the iconic pocket knife, are struggling to adapt to the 39% tariff imposed by the United States on imports of Swiss goods.
Fish and aquatic plants are under ‘severe pressure’ in Swiss rivers and lakes
This content was published on
Fish, aquatic plants and other animals in Swiss rivers, lakes and streams remain under 'severe pressure', according to the Federal Office for the Environment.
Swatch withdraws ‘slanted eyes’ ad after China uproar
This content was published on
The Swiss watch manufacturer Swatch has apologised and withdrawn an advertising campaign worldwide following accusations of racism in China. The ad features a model pulling the corners of his eyes.
Police identify bodies of three climbers who died in Swiss Alps
This content was published on
Police have formally identified the bodies of three climbers who died in the Upper Valais region in early August: they are from Germany, France and Austria.
Bern exhibition reunites Kirchner paintings after 92 years
This content was published on
The painting Sonntag der Bergbauern (Alpsonntag) [Sunday of the Mountain Farmers (Alp Sunday) by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938) is being transferred from Berlin to Bern to feature in an upcoming exhibition at Kunstmuseum Bern.
Voters approve extension of Engadine Airport in Switzerland
This content was published on
Residents in the Upper Engadine region gave the greenlight on Sunday to the expansion of the regional airport at Samedan, one of Europe’s highest airports (1,707 metres) that serves the nearby resorts of St Moritz and Davos.
Private equity group Advent to buy U-Blox for $1.3 billion
This content was published on
Private equity group Advent International has agreed to take over Switzerland's U-Blox Holding in a cash offer worth CHF1.05 billion ($1.30 billion).
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.