Six reports within four days: The police are currently concerned about a series of bomb threats. The effort involved is enormous because the worst has to be assumed every time. The police now suspect that the same perpetrator is involved in all cases. Since Thursday afternoon there has also been a bomb alarm in Bregenz: the train station was evacuated.
Graz, Linz, Salzburg, Klagenfurt, St. Pölten and now also in Bregenz – the police have been constantly present at train stations in many parts of Austria for days. The pattern is always the same: the state police of the state in question receive threats that explosives have been planted at train stations – all of which are sent by email.
On Thursday afternoon, the train station in Bregenz was also cordoned off over a large area. The police are once again present on a large scale and are monitoring the situation on site. There is currently no train service in Bregenz.
Probably the same perpetrator at work
Based on the contents of the letter, the police now assume that the same author was at work in all cases, the Lower Austrian police say. If arrested, the perpetrator of the threats could face several years in prison – and investigations are ongoing.
And not without reason: the bomb threats not only sow fear among the population; Due to the complexity of police operations, costs in the range of five figures can be expected.
The police warn: this is not a trivial violation
The investigation is now largely carried out by the state agencies for state security and counter-extremism (LSE) in collaboration with the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence (DSN). Criminal law was initially based on dangerous threats and coercion (threats of crimes that were dangerous to the public, To. D. Red.). For tactical reasons, details have been sparsely revealed so far.
The state police of Lower Austria warn that the bomb threats cannot be regarded as a trivial offense. According to police spokesman Johann Baumschlager, the author is accused of dangerous threats (generally punishable by up to one year in prison) or coercion (up to three years in prison).
“Evacuate everyone on site now”
The series started in the Styrian capital Graz. According to police spokesman Heimo Kohlbacher, the police received an email on Monday afternoon stating that explosives would go off at the central station. “We don’t know if the situation is serious,” Kohlbacher told Krone on Monday. “But we are now evacuating everyone on site on a large scale.”
At 9:20 p.m., the police finally gave permission: “The search is over. No suspicious or dangerous objects were to be seized. The closures will be lifted,” the director wrote on Platform X. Shortly afterwards, train traffic and access were reopened. The Styrian police currently have no new information about the bomb threat against Graz’s main station.
After two hours the all-clear was given in Linz
In all other cases, the message was sent to the police by e-mail. On Tuesday afternoon, a large part of Linz’s main station was evacuated and closed. Passengers initially still at the station read the warning on digital displays: “Alarm. Please leave the building immediately.” After two hours the police gave permission here too.
The large-scale operation had serious consequences for busy afternoon traffic; people in Linz had to prepare for significant delays in the city center and especially around the train station.
Impact across national borders
Salzburg’s main station was hit late Wednesday afternoon. After the email was received shortly before 4pm, a complete blocking took place. Train services were stopped, which had consequences beyond the country’s borders.
Hundreds of commuters were affected in Salzburg, thousands on more than 50 trains from all directions. Train traffic had to be stopped. Trains that would have gone to Salzburg stopped at train stations. Due to the many people on the station square, bus traffic at the station was also disrupted during the evacuation. The police searched the entire area and after about two and a half hours they were able to breathe a sigh of relief and lift the barrier.
Bomb threat by email in Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt’s main station was also evacuated on Wednesday after Carinthia’s state police received a threatening email around 9 p.m. “For safety reasons, the evacuation of the station and the temporary suspension of train traffic were arranged in consultation with the ÖBB safety coordinator,” police in Klagenfurt said.
The bomb threat kept about thirty police officers on alert. Several patrols and service dog handlers searched the central station for the suspected explosives, while traffic was diverted over a wide area. “The entire area was thoroughly searched, but no suspicious items were found,” the police said.
One hour of lack of train service in St. Pölten
The situation was similar in St. Pölten late on Wednesday evening. Due to the closure of the station, there was no train service for about an hour. About 50 people who were in the area were removed from the danger zone. The release took place again at 11:15 p.m.
“Vague” threat against the airport
In Lower Austria it was announced on Thursday that there was also a threat against Vienna airport in Schwechat on Wednesday around 11 p.m. had given. This was sent to the airport via the contact form.
The message was “very vague” and offered “very little information,” police spokesman Baumschlager said when asked. A report has been made and detectives from the Schwechat City Police Command are working to identify the perpetrator. “But we do not assume that the sender actually poses a threat,” says Baumschlager. A connection with the bomb threats against the train stations is also “almost certainly” excluded.
Costs several tens of thousands of euros
Such complex police operations are expensive. A bomb threat can result in various criminal offenses, such as a dangerous threat. The number of people threatened is crucial: if the number of people is smaller, the crime constitutes a dangerous threat, punishable by up to three years in prison.
However, if the general public or a larger group is threatened, this constitutes coercion, which carries a penalty of six months to five years. If several people are threatened with death, the sentence can be up to ten years.
Operations with sniffer dogs and bomb detection or defusing equipment can cost tens of thousands of euros, depending on the effort.
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.
