Train evacuated in Upper Austria

Threatener played terrorist and risked his life

The large-scale operation at the train station in Schwanenstadt almost ended in bloodshed

(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

His life was hanging by a thread - but he even found his insane action funny: there was a large-scale operation at Schwanenstadt station on Saturday morning and a regional train had to be evacuated. And all because a criminal lunatic acted like a terrorist, virtually re-enacting an attack.

It was terrifying: A train driver, who was waiting for the train himself, noticed a man dressed in black, wearing a black balaclava and carrying two black sports bags in Attnang-Puchheim on Saturday morning - and stared conspicuously at the ÖBB driver, then put the sports bags down near him. The train driver didn't have a good feeling about it. When the train arrived, he got on, as did the stranger.

Observed via train cameras
The train driver observed the suspect via the train cameras and saw him making movements with his hands as if he had a submachine gun in his hand and was about to shoot. The ÖBB driver alerted the police, who met the train at the platform in Schwanenstadt at around 8 am. The stranger remained seated, stared at the officers demonstratively through the window and scrutinized their every move.

Tension rose to boiling point
In view of the terrorist act, the tension rose to boiling point: when the police officers called for reinforcements and fetched their assault rifles, the suspect slowly reached into a pocket, pulled out a bulletproof vest and pulled it over his upper body. It later turned out to be a dummy. The suspect then tapped his chest several times, as if the vest was filled with explosives. Only after the train had been cleared and 20 passengers were outside did the threatener finally get off. After an intensive interrogation, he gave up, lay down between his bags and was arrested.

The accused is lucky to be alive. He really put the police officers' nerves on edge with his behavior.

Silke Enzlmüller, Sprecherin der Staatsanwaltschaft Wels

He thought it was "funny"
The suspect is a Hungarian (46). He is in custody, the public prosecutor's office in Wels is investigating dangerous threats. The bags contained stolen goods - socks and charging cables. "The suspect probably has psychological problems. He stated that he did not realize the seriousness of the situation," explains Silke Enzlmüller from the public prosecutor's office in Wels.

Krone-Kommentar

Spielen schon alle verrückt?

Our beautiful, safe country, once an island of the blessed - well, it's been a long time, nine years to be precise. That's when the huge wave of immigration began. And I can still remember very well how anyone who didn't think it was so great was immediately labeled a "Nazi".

(Bild: Krone KREATIV, Alexander Schwarzl, Markus Wenzel)

Less than a decade later, the individual cases are coming thick and fast. And the police operation in Schwanenstadt is a drastic illustration of how great the general insecurity already is. A lunatic was almost shot dead because he apparently found it fun to play terrorist in his delusional world.