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Austria: Islamic Extremist Killed Teenager; 5 Injured

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

VIENNA/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Austria was in shock Monday after more details emerged about a Syrian asylum seeker suspected of carrying out a deadly stabbing rampage in the Austrian town of Villach that killed a child and injured five others.

Authorities said the attacker had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, and was radicalized online.

He eventually decided to carry out an attack Saturday when he killed a 14-year-old boy in the center of Villach and wounded five other people, three of whom are in intensive care, police said.

On Sunday, officials confirmed the ages of those who were injured: Two 15-year-olds, with the other victims aged 28, 32, and 36. They said five of them are Austrian nationals, and one is Turkish.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told reporters in Villach that the 23-year-old Syrian man, who was arrested seven minutes after the first call to the police, had been rapidly radicalized on the internet and that the Islamic State flag had been found in his apartment.

“So those in a position of responsibility, the police, the authorities, must draw the necessary conclusions from that,” he added.

Karner said the suspect had a valid residence permit and no criminal record and had not previously attracted the attention of authorities.

Authorities previously announced that the suspect had a temporary residence permit and was waiting for a decision on his asylum application.

The attack was due to fuel debate about an influx of migrants from mainly Muslim nations into Europe amid concerns about Islamist extremists.

Hungary, Austria’s most outspoken anti-migration neighbor, has placed a massive security fence near its border with Serbia from where many migrants fleeing war, persecution, and poverty have come.