Austrian Interior Minister Says Vienna Attack Gunman Tricked Deradicalization Program

VIENNA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 04th November, 2020) The gunman suspected of the recent rampage in the Austrian capital of Vienna managed to fool the country's authorities by joining the deradicalization program and claiming that he had given up his radical views in an attempt to leave prison early, Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said on Wednesday.

Multiple shooting attacks were perpetrated late on Monday in Vienna, resulting in four persons killed and at least 22 others injured. One of the assailants was neutralized by the police. He is said to have been a supporter of the Islamic State terrorist organization (banned in Russia).

"The offender managed to deceive the deradicalization program and the honest people who work there.

The offender who wanted to join IS, who was ready to fight in someone else's war, was released prematurely," Nehammer said at a press conference.

On Tuesday, the Austrian Interior Ministry confirmed that the gunman was 20-year-old Albanian Kujtim Fejzulai, whose family had moved from the North Macedonian city of Tetovo to Vienna. He was convicted on terrorism charges in 2019 after he tried to go to Syria to join IS but was released from prison before serving the full term. Other suspects, according to Austrian media, are natives of Kosovo, Russia's Chechnya and Bangladesh.