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Shocking bomb threats: Swiss suspect still at large!
Investigations into bomb threats in Austria: A Swiss suspect remains at large while authorities investigate.
Shocking bomb threats: Swiss suspect still at large!
An alarming series of bomb threats kept the Austrian public on tenterhooks last fall. As the 5min.at reported, the Linz public prosecutor's office has now found evidence that responsibility for the threats cannot only be attributed to a single, suspected Swiss perpetrator. The investigating authorities suspect an unknown group of perpetrators from Germany as a possible source for the threatening emails, which were primarily aimed at train stations, schools and shopping centers. According to authority spokeswoman Ulrike Breiteneder, this is a “special case of cyberbullying” aimed at scaring the authorities.
The bomb threats caused significant economic damage to the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), which is in the high five-digit range, as an ÖBB spokesman announced. A total of 690 trains were affected, and regular operations were massively disrupted during the threats between the end of September and the beginning of October. These incidents led to a total of around 29,000 minutes of delays in train traffic, without taking into account the canceled stops and trains. However, the suspect, a 20-year-old at the time, remains at large and an EU arrest warrant against him has not yet been executed, according to reports Small newspaper is problematic due to outstanding documents from Austria.
Investigations and unclear future
The public prosecutor's office in St. Gallen has not yet taken over the proceedings because it is waiting for further documents from Austria. This is considered a potential threat as it remains possible that the suspect could continue to send threats. Cooperation between the two countries is crucial for the further course of events, but extradition of the Swiss is only possible with his consent. Until then, Austria remains dependent on the Swiss judiciary to bring the suspect to justice.
The dangerous incidents, which were not only train and school-related, show a worrying development in the area of public safety. As the investigation continues, the question of exactly who made the threats and what legal action may be taken next remains unclear.