At the end of March, a series of stabbings rocked Vienna’s Reumannplatz. The trial surrounding the first attack is now coming to an end in Landl. On the second day of the trial, a witness was heard who, according to the accused Syrian, was the actual perpetrator. He also denies the accusation. Ultimately, the jury could not determine who actually stabbed.
Reumannplatz crime scene: On March 17, a 21-year-old was stabbed at the Vienna hotspot. Because he showed moral courage and defended a young girl who was surrounded and insulted by a group of Syrians, one of them pulled out a knife. A 19-year-old now sits in the dock at the Vienna Regional Court for the second day of the trial – and yet the question still arises: is this the right young man?
Open warrant for witnesses
The Syrian strongly denies the attack, accusing the Public Prosecution Service of attempted murder. He was not the one who took the knife, but an acquaintance. Who now has to testify as a witness in the grand jury room after a long investigation into his whereabouts. He is released from custody – there was already a warrant for his arrest for a drug offense.
The similarity is unmistakable
But the 29-year-old Syrian also claims not to have been the stabbing: “I was at Reumannplatz at the time, but not in the area where it happened. I only found out afterwards,” he translates in the witness box. It is striking that the two young men – the suspect and his acquaintance – are the same height and have the same build. Only the eldest has a beard. “How long have you had it?” asks Mr. Rat. “I don’t know,” was the answer.
The 21-year-old victim and a young witness to the knife attack cannot say with certainty whether it was possibly the 29-year-old who grabbed the weapon. That is why lawyer Wolfgang Haas is calling for an acquittal for his accused client. The decision now lies with the jury.
And they cannot determine with any certainty that the 19-year-old wanted to kill the young Austrian. He is acquitted of attempted murder. For dangerous threats and attempted bodily harm – in connection with other incidents – he received a suspended prison sentence of three months. The acquittal is legally binding.
The attempted murder marked the start of a shocking series of stabbings on Vienna’s Reumannplatz in late March. On the same day, a 28-year-old was stabbed by an unknown person in Favoritenstrasse. Also in March, a dispute at Reumannplatz escalated in which a 32-year-old boy suffered a deep stab in the thigh. On May 24, a police officer was attacked by a Jordanian (41) at Keplerplatz. Only the stab protection vest the officer was wearing saved him from serious injuries. A weapons ban zone has been in place in the area since March 30.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
