November 2, 2022: Four people died during the night. 23 others were injured, some seriously. The gunman Kujtim F. was shot dead by WEGA. After nearly two years, six accused accomplices of the killer are now on trial in Vienna.
The trial in the grand jury court began Tuesday under the strictest security conditions. On the first day of the hearing, the Public Prosecution Service and the defense will present their pleas. The six young men are led to the Viennese court room, each with a jailer in full swing by their side. They are accused by the prosecution of involvement in terrorist offenses related to murder, terrorist association and criminal organization. They would have supported and encouraged the murderer Kujtim F. in his plans.
Weapons purchased and handed over
The men are said to have mainly helped the shooter obtain the assault rifle and pistol he used in the murder. The first suspect traveled with Kujtim F. to Slovenia to buy ammunition for the assault rifle. According to the public prosecutor, the second suspect, 21, would have been present at the handing over of this weapon.
The 28-year-old native Afghan and the 32-year-old Russian are said to have helped with the ammunition and preparation of the murder weapons – in the proceedings as the fourth and fifth suspects. The Russian is said to have personally handed over the gun and its cartridges to the killer. Kujtim F. had contacted him through the sixth defendant. A 23-year-old, the third suspect, also encouraged him.
memories of victims
“When I look back on that night, I remember the anxious hours and the waiting. Of the uncertainty of whether there are people close to me in the inner city. I remember the fear and panic I felt. And that is exactly what terrorist should trigger attacks in us,” the public prosecutor begins her opening statement.
She recalls the four fatalities, mentions their names and sad fate: “It broke the hearts not only of the injured and their families, but of all of Austria. What is certain is that the murderer himself cannot be held responsible anymore.” .” She emphasizes that now especially those who cooperated and assisted in the crime should be punished, as well as the accused.
Defendant known to the Austrian Constitutional Protection Office
Each of the six men has been known as IS supporters for years at the Austrian Constitution Protection Agency. Some of them even have relevant criminal records and have already served prison terms. According to the prosecutor, the suspects drastically changed their appearance for the trial. “Only the third defendant still looks the same as in his photo”: shoulder-length hair and a full beard.
The public prosecutor describes the roles of the six men. How the Fifth and Sixth Defendants would have assisted in obtaining weapons. How the second suspect would have guided the transfer. How the fourth and fifth defendants helped with the final preparations the day before the murder. And how the second and third suspects with the shooter would have chosen the target of the attack.
DNA evidence and messages as evidence
“It is fortunate that no more people were killed in the center of Vienna that day,” she is sure. In addition to DNA traces on the weapons and the explosive belt dummy, there is more evidence, such as news reviews for the allegations.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
