Vienna shooting: Homegrown terrorist behind Vienna’s deadly attack as attacker posted selfie
A McDonald’s worker and two martial arts experts have been hailed as heroes of the Vienna terror attack after cops arrested 14 people. WARNING: GRAPHIC
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A McDonald’s worker and two martial arts experts have been hailed as heroes of the Vienna terror attack after they risked their lives to save a police officer and an elderly woman.
The trio have been honoured for stepping up when 20-year-old terrorist Kujtim Fejzulai went on a rampage in the Austrian capital just hours before the city went into coronavirus lockdown.
It comes as the UK raised its terror threat level to severe in the wake of the Austria attack and the beheadings in a French church last week as a new wave of terrorism grips Europe.
Fejzulai, who was previously jailed for trying to fight for Islamic State in Syria, sickeningly declared he was planning his attack on Instagram.
He posted a picture carrying the assault rifle, handgun and machete he used in the attack that killed four people and injured 22 others.
Police killed him at 8.09pm on Monday local time, with Islamic State claiming responsibility for the attack via a statement from its propaganda outlet the Amaq News Agency.
Fejzulai was sentenced to almost two years jail in April 2019, but was released early because of his age and apparent good behaviour.
The Muslim gunman in Vienna posted a photo of himself holding an AK-47, pistol and machete before carrying out the jihadist attack. https://t.co/wC6rk6O2tO
— Andy Ngô (@MrAndyNgo) November 3, 2020
In a repeat of the long game played by London Bridge terrorist Usman Khan, he convinced authorities he was no longer a threat.
Recep Gultekin, who was shot when he went to help, and his friend Mikail Ozen, both of Turkish background were hailed as heroes. Palestinian man Osama Joda gave a police officer first aid.
Mr Joda, who works at a nearby McDonald’s ran out when he heard the shooting and saw a police officer who was hurt.
“I pulled him behind the concrete bench and tried to stop the bleeding,” Mr Joda told Austrian newspaper Kurier.
“There was blood everywhere.”
The police officer was in a critical but stable condition on Wednesday.
Fejzulai ran off as more police arrived as backup for the under-fire officers.
Mr Ozen and Mr Gultekin, both martial arts experts, then helped Mr Joda drag the police officer to an ambulance.
The pair, who received a reception at the Turkish embassy in Vienna on Tuesday, had also helped carry an injured woman into a restaurant.
“We knew immediately what to do, there was no choice but to help. Austria is our home. We would help at any time,” Mr Ozen, 25, said.
Austrian police arrested 14 people by Wednesday morning Australian time, following a series of raids at 18 properties in Vienna.
Police had launched a citywide manhunt amid fears that he did not act alone.
They were investigating at least six locations where shootings happened in the city centre.
Austrian interior Minister Karl Nehammer said he was concerned that Fejzulai, who was born in Austria to North Macedonian parents, had been released early.
“We are seeing a fault line in our system,” said Nehammer, of the conservative Austrian People’s party (ÖVP). “There was a premature release of a radicalised person.”
“Fact is: the terrorist managed to deceive the judiciary’s deradicalisation program … We need to evaluate and optimise the system on the side of the judiciary.”
London Bridge attacker Usman Khan was also a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
The convicted terrorist killed Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones in December 2019 at an event celebrating his “rehabilitation” after he spent years pretending to be reformed.
Austria’s previous worst terror attack was in 1985, but the country has been a stepping off point for young men wanting to travel to Syria to fight with Islamic State.
A terror network in Vienna recruited hundreds of young men to fight in Syria’s civil war between 2012 and 2014.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke with Mr Kurz on Tuesday and offered his condolences and pledged to stand with Austria against these “cowardly acts.”
Police were investigating shootings at six locations across Vienna, mainly centred around the Danube canal, involving at least four attackers.
They have received 20,000 videos of the attack, with some shocking images showing a man dressed in white, shooting an innocent pedestrian with a long-barrelled rifle, and then returning to shoot him again with a handgun.
Austrian police have arrested several people and have raided the home of one of the suspects.
Two Swiss men were arrested near Zurich on Tuesday in connection with the deadly shooting, Swiss police said.
“Police investigations led to the identification of an 18-year-old and a 24-year-old Swiss citizen. The two men were arrested on Tuesday (local time) afternoon in Winterthur in coordination with the Austrian authorities,” Zurich police said in a statement.
A key attacker was shot dead at 8.09pm local time on Tuesday by police.
Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer confirmed the attacker shot dead was of Macedonian heritage and had an Austrian and Macedonian passport.
He had a criminal record for terror related activity, Mr Nehammer said, following reports that he had been banned from leaving Austria in July to travel to Syria to fight for Islamic state.
Florian Kenk, editor-in-chief of the Viennese weekly newspaper Falter, said, “He was on the radar” of authorities after he was stopped from travelling to Syria with 90 other Austrian Islamists in July.
Police did not believe Kurtin, who was born in Vienna to parents with Albanian and Macedonian descent, was planning an attack in Vienna.
The victims included an older man, a young male pedestrian, a woman in her mid 40s, and a waitress.
The streets of Vienna had been teeming with people on Tuesday night, with the attack happening just hours before Austria went into a new coronavirus lockdown.
The attack in multiple locations sparked mass panic across the city, with false reports of hostages being taken and fears of bombs.
“A huge number of people were running away in all directions and screaming,” a witness who was on a tram told Der Standard, a leading Austrian newspaper.
“Then there was another bang. The children in the tram started to scream and we lay down on the floor.”
Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister said that from his apartment window he could see shots fired in streets which were lined with diners at outdoor tables.
“They were shooting at least 100 rounds just outside our building,” he said.
“All these bars have tables outside. This evening is the last evening before the lockdown.
“As of midnight, all bars and restaurants will be closed in Austria for the next month and a lot of people probably wanted to use that evening to be able to go out.”
Austria has announced three days of mourning, but the threat level remained high on Tuesday night Australian time.
Mr Morrison warned that any Australians in Vienna should be careful and follow the instructions of local authorities.
“We send our best and our support and our sympathies to all of them,” he said.
“I’ve been in contact with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and provided Australia’s condolences, but also our assurance that we stand with them against these acts of terror and we’ll do all we can to support them and all nations and all peoples who are affected by these cowardly acts.”
Mr Kurz, 34, offered sympathy to the victims of the attack in what he described as “difficult hours” for his country.
“Our police will pursue those responsible for this appalling terrorist attack with determination. We will never be cowed by terrorism and we will resolutely fight back against these attacks with every means at our disposal,” he said.
Austria has been free of terrorism for decades, while most European countries, including France and the UK have had multiple attacks.
The last major attack in Austria was in 1985 when Palestinian terrorists killed 19 people in coordinated attacks at Vienna and Rome airports.
France was already coming to terms with the death of three people in the Notre Dame church in Nice last week, following on from the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty on October 16.
Video shows terrorist shooting pic.twitter.com/CRcm9Aehpw
— Baruch (@baruchb11) November 2, 2020
Mr Paty had used cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, first published by satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, during a classroom lesson about freedom of speech.
Turkey led calls for a boycott of France following president Emmanuel Macron’s defence of Mr Paty and the country’s principle of freedom of expression.
French president Emmanuel Macron tweeted: “After France, this is a friendly country that has been attacked. This is our Europe.
“Our enemies need to know who they are dealing with. We won’t give in to anything.”
German chancellor, Angela Merkel, said: “We Germans stand by our Austrian friends in sympathy and solidarity. The fight against Islamist terror is our common fight.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I am deeply shocked by the terrible attacks in Vienna tonight.
“The UK’s thoughts are with the people of Austria - we stand united with you against terror.”
Britain on Tuesday upgraded the country’s terrorism threat level from “substantial” to “severe”, after the deadly shooting rampage in Vienna and several attacks across France.
