Three Swiss students accused of assaulting five people in Munich last month will stay in jail until they go to court, German justice authorities said on Monday.

German law allows for people to be released before trial, but that is not likely to happen in this case because the students are considered a flight risk, said Andreas Franck, a Munich public prosecutor.

The three 16-year-olds from the Zurich area randomly attacked five strangers in Munich on June 30 while on a school trip. The victims of their 30-minute rampage included a 46-year-old man whom they nearly beat to death. They also attacked a disabled man and a Bulgarian student.

In two cases the prosecutor is seeking charges of attempted murder. The other three cases are matters of serious bodily injury.

Two of the students have confessed their involvement. The third is believed to have hit the five victims first but has so far remained silent, German authorities said.

The investigation will probably last several months. The youths, who have previous convictions in Switzerland, face up to ten years in prison.

swissinfo.ch and agencies

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative