Latest news with #Alaaeddinal-Halabi
Telegraph
19-02-2025
- Telegraph
Boy, 14, arrested over plans for attack at Vienna railway station
Austrian police have arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of plotting a knife and machete attack at a Vienna railway station. The suspect, who had made detailed plans for his attack including sketches, was arrested on Feb 10, the Austrian interior ministry disclosed on Wednesday. During a police raid on the home of the suspect, who was described as an Austrian citizen of Turkish origin, officers found knives and instructions for making bombs. They also found sketches outlining the teenager's plans for a knife and machete attack on Vienna's central station. Spiegel, a German magazine, reported that the suspect is understood to be a supporter of Islamic State. Austrian officials said the teenager, who posted Islamist extremist content on TikTok before he was arrested, is refusing to communicate with them. Teenager was 'radicalised' The interior ministry said in a statement: 'The suspect is 14 years old, an Austrian citizen with Turkish roots and has become radicalised on the Internet.' It comes just a few days after a mass-stabbing attack in Austria by a young Syrian man, who killed one teenager and injured five others. The attack occurred on Saturday evening in the Austrian town of Villach, near the country's borders with Italy and Slovenia. Austrian officials said the suspect in the Saturday attack had also become radicalised by Islamist extremist content on the internet. During the attack, a Syrian resident of Villach, Alaaeddin al-Halabi, used his car to knock down the terrorist and prevent him from killing more people. Mr Halabi, a food delivery driver who fled Syria in 2015, told Reuters news agency that he sprung into action after seeing people lying injured on the ground. He said: 'I immediately understood what was happening, there were people on the ground bleeding, and this person was waving the knife in a threatening manner.' Mr Halabi added: 'I immediately drove toward him and hit him with my car. The good thing is that the impact wasn't too strong, thank God... the goal of hitting him with the car was just to neutralise him or stop what he was doing. The goal wasn't to harm anyone.' However, some Austrians turned on Mr Halabi after assuming that he was taking part in the terrorist attack, forcing him to lock himself in his car as they hit his vehicle.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Boy, 14, arrested over plans for attack at Vienna railway station
Austrian police have arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of plotting a knife and machete attack at a Vienna railway station. The suspect, who had made detailed plans for his attack including sketches, was arrested on Feb 10, the Austrian interior ministry disclosed on Wednesday. During a police raid on the home of the suspect, who was described as an Austrian citizen of Turkish origin, officers found knives and instructions for making bombs. They also found sketches outlining the teenager's plans for a knife and machete attack on Vienna's central station. Spiegel, a German magazine, reported that the suspect is understood to be a supporter of Islamic State. Austrian officials said the teenager, who posted Islamist extremist content on TikTok before he was arrested, is refusing to communicate with them. The interior ministry said in a statement: 'The suspect is 14 years old, an Austrian citizen with Turkish roots and has become radicalised on the Internet.' It comes just a few days after a mass-stabbing attack in Austria by a young Syrian man, who killed one teenager and injured five others. The attack occurred on Saturday evening in the Austrian town of Villach, near the country's borders with Italy and Slovenia. Austrian officials said the suspect in the Saturday attack had also become radicalised by Islamist extremist content on the internet. During the attack, a Syrian resident of Villach, Alaaeddin al-Halabi, used his car to knock down the terrorist and prevent him from killing more people. Mr Halabi, a food delivery driver who fled Syria in 2015, told Reuters news agency that he sprung into action after seeing people lying injured on the ground. He said: 'I immediately understood what was happening, there were people on the ground bleeding, and this person was waving the knife in a threatening manner. He added: 'I immediately drove toward him and hit him with my car. The good thing is that the impact wasn't too strong, thank God... the goal of hitting him with the car was just to neutralise him or stop what he was doing. The goal wasn't to harm anyone.' However, some Austrians turned on Mr Halabi after assuming that he was taking part in the terrorist attack, forcing him to lock himself in his car as they hit his vehicle. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
The Independent
18-02-2025
- The Independent
Syrian delivery driver who rammed car into attacker hailed as hero in Austria
A Syrian migrant is being celebrated for his courageous intervention during a violent knife attack in the Austrian city of Villach that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy and injuries to five others. The assailant, a 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker, was reportedly radicalised by the Isis group. The incident unfolded on Saturday afternoon near Villach's main square. Alaaeddin al-Halabi, a 42-year-old food delivery driver who fled Syria in 2015, was en route to a delivery when he noticed a disturbance. Observing people running and shouting for help, he saw an individual brandishing a knife. Recognising the immediate danger, Mr Al-Halabi acted swiftly, driving his vehicle towards the attacker and striking him to halt the assault. "I immediately drove toward him and hit him with my car," he recounted. "I mean, the goal of hitting him with the car was just to neutralise him or stop what he was doing. The goal wasn't to harm anyone.' In the chaos that ensued, some bystanders mistakenly believed Mr Al-Halabi was another assailant, leading them to attack his vehicle. He recounted locking himself in his car for protection until authorities arrived. "People attacked me after the incident – people on the street thought I was carrying out an attack," he explained. Authorities later confirmed that Mr Al-Halabi's swift actions were instrumental in preventing further harm. Police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio stated: "It was probably a heroic act, yes. It prevented something worse from happening." Villach's mayor, Günther Albel, also praised the intervention, noting, "we are very grateful to the man who intervened selflessly, courageously and decisively'. The assailant, whose identity has not been disclosed, was found to have sworn allegiance to Isis, with flags of the terror outfit discovered at his residence. Interior minister Gerhard Karner described the attack as an Islamist act, indicating the suspect had been radicalised online. The victims, five Austrians and one Turkish national, were reportedly chosen at random. This tragedy has reignited discussions on migration and security within Austria. Right-wing political figures have seized upon the incident to advocate for stricter immigration policies. Herbert Kickl, leader of the far-right Freedom Party, expressed his outrage, stating, "I am angry at those politicians who have allowed stabbings, rapes, gang wars and other capital crimes to become the order of the day in Austria". In contrast, the Free Syrian Community of Austria extended condolences to the victims' families and emphasised that the perpetrator's actions do not reflect the broader Syrian community living peacefully in the country. "We are grateful to have found asylum and protection in Austria," the organisation stated. "Anyone who causes strife and disturbs the peace of society does not represent the Syrians who have sought and received protection here." Reflecting on his actions, Mr Al-Halabi downplayed the hero label, urging others to act in times of crisis. "People look at me as a hero, but I don't see it that way," he said. "If something like this happens again, you have to do something. You can't just stand there, take photos and film videos." This incident marks the second deadly extremist attack in Austria in recent years. In November 2020, a man previously attempting to join Isis, carried out a rampage in Vienna, resulting in four deaths before police fatally shot him.
The Guardian
17-02-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Syrian migrant in Austria who rammed car into attacker hailed as hero
A Syrian migrant living in Austria has been hailed as a hero after he rammed his car into an attacker, bringing down a radicalised assailant who had killed one teenager and left five others injured. The stabbing, described by Austria's interior minister as having been carried out by a Syrian man who was legally living in the country and who had become radicalised by the Islamic State group, took place Saturday in the southern Austrian city of Villach. As the country mourned, many hailed the bravery of Alaaeddin al-Halabi, a food delivery driver who left Syria in 2015 and who had been driving past the area on Saturday when he noticed a commotion. He slowed down, he told Reuters, 'because there were many people, some running, some scared, and some were shouting for help'. It was then that he noticed that one of the people at the scene had a knife. 'I immediately understood what was happening – there were people on the ground bleeding, and this person was waving the knife in a threatening manner.' Al-Halabi sprang into action. 'I immediately drove toward him and hit him with my car. The good thing is that the impact wasn't too strong, thank God,' he said. 'I mean, the goal of hitting him with the car was just to neutralise him or stop what he was doing. The goal wasn't to harm anyone.' In the confusion that followed, al-Halabi said he was shocked to see some in the crowd turn on him, telling newspaper Kleinen Zeitung that he locked himself into his car as some people began to hit his vehicle. Speaking to Reuters, he said: 'People attacked me after the incident – people on the street thought I was carrying out an attack like what happened in Germany.' The attack came days after a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker drove a car into a trade union demonstration in neighbouring Germany, killing a two-year-old girl and her mother as well as injuring 37 others. It was the fifth high-profile attack involving migrants to Germany in the past nine months, leading politicians to seize on migration as a talking point ahead of snap elections on 23 February. In Austria, Saturday's attack killed a 14-year-old boy and wounded five others, all of whom were believed to have been targeted randomly. Speaking to reporters, police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio later said al-Halabi's actions had played a role in halting the attack. 'It was probably a heroic act, yes. It prevented something worse from happening,' he said. The sentiment was echoed by the mayor of Villach, Günther Albel. 'We are very grateful to the man who intervened selflessly, courageously and decisively and thus prevented something even worse from happening, as well as to the rapid deployment of the police,' he said in a statement. State governor Peter Kaiser also thanked al-Halabi, saying that his intervention 'shows how closely terrorist evil but also human good can be united in one and the same nationality'. As media across Austria described al-Halabi as a hero, the 42-year-old brushed off the label. 'People look at me as a hero, but I don't see it that way,' he said. 'I say to people: 'Please, if something like this happens again, you have to do something. You can't just stand there, take photos and film videos'.' As Austria reeled from the stabbing, rightwing politicians sought to reinforce their hardline views on migration. Late last year, Austria was among the dozen European countries who suspended the processing of asylum applications from Syrians after the fall of the Assad regime in Damascus, with officials in Austria saying they were preparing a 'repatriation and deportation' programme to the country. The attack was the country's second deadly extremist attack in recent years. In November 2020, a man who had previously attempted to join the Islamic State group carried out a rampage in Vienna, armed with an automatic rifle and a fake explosive vest, killing four people before he was fatally shot by police. In August, authorities foiled plans for an attack on a Taylor Swift concert that was inspired by the Islamic State group. In the wake of Saturday's attack, those who weighed in included the Free Syrian Community of Austria, a support group for Syrians, who expressed its deepest condolences to the victims' families and sought to distance the suspect from the tens of thousands of Syrians who live in the country peacefully. 'We all had to flee Syria, our home country, because we were no longer safe there – no one left their country voluntarily. We are grateful to have found asylum and protection in Austria,' it said on social media. 'We would like to emphasise: anyone who causes strife and disturbs the peace of society does not represent the Syrians who have sought and received protection here.'
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Yahoo
This Syrian man stopped an attacker in Austria with his car
STORY: :: This Syrian man hit an attacker in Austria with his car to prevent further harm :: February 16, 2025 :: Villach, Austria :: Alaaeddin al-Halabi, Food delivery driver and Austrian resident "While I was driving on Villach Bridge, I noticed a commotion, something that seemed unnatural. I looked to the right and saw two people, first I saw someone on the ground, but I didn't pay much attention. I drove forward a bit and started driving very slowly because there were many people, some running, some scared, and some were shouting for help" "I saw a person with a knife in front of me threatening people. I immediately understood what was happening - there were people on the ground bleeding, and this person was waving the knife in a threatening manner." "I immediately drove toward him and hit him with my car. The good thing is that the impact wasn't too strong, thank God. I mean, the goal of hitting him with the car was just to neutralise him or stop what he was doing. The goal wasn't to harm anyone." "People look at me as a hero, but I don't see it that way. I say to people, please, if something like this happens again, you have to do something. You can't just stand there, take photos and film videos. Alaaeddin al-Halabi, a food delivery driver who left Syria in 2015 and moved to Austria, said he was making a delivery on Saturday when he drove past the attack in the centre of the town of Villach and quickly realised something was wrong. A 14-year-old boy was killed and five others were wounded in the attack. Authorities said the suspect, an asylum seeker also from Syria, had sworn allegiance to Islamic State and was radicalized online. More harm would have been done had it not been for for al-Halabi, authorities said. Afterwards, Al-Halabi said he was shocked to see how those around him reacted: "People attacked me after the incident - people on the street thought I was carrying out an attack like what happened in Germany." Al-Halabi said he then called the police, who arrived at the scene a few minutes later and arrested the suspect. Al-Halabi, who has been living in Villach for the past eight years, said he didn't know the suspect was also from Syria. "I'm sorry that someone from Syria did something like that," he said.
