Winterthur knife attack: Federal prosecutor suspects terrorist background
The Federal Prosecution Office sees signs of a terrorist motive in the case of the knife attack in Winterthur, in which three pedestrians were injured.
Winterthur knife attack: Federal prosecutor suspects terrorist background
In the incident in Winterthur, in which a man injured three passers-by with a blade, investigators suspect a politically motivated background. The suspect is currently in pre-trial detention. Chief Federal Prosecutor Stefan Blättler told Swiss Radio and Television that initial interrogations pointed to an extremist act. At the same time, the man is to undergo psychiatric assessment.
Blättler pointed out that radicalisation and mental disorder are by no means contradictory. The investigation should now clarify precisely what drove the attacker and whether he was fully culpable.
The case also sheds light on problems in prosecuting terrorism cases. Investigators have so far had no opportunity to evaluate the mobile phone of the person in custody. A judge must first determine what data access is permitted. Blättler criticised this "sealing" and called for a change to the relevant legislation. In cases of threats to public safety, speed is essential.
The chief prosecutor also commented on another sensitive case: an employee of the Federal Police Office allegedly sold internal files to organised criminals. Blättler described this as unfortunate but explained that even in Switzerland such occurrences are not entirely avoidable. There is no absolute security against betrayal anywhere, not even in his own agency. However, he trusts his colleagues. As a consequence, consideration is being given to whether more people should be subjected to security screening.
Despite recent incidents, Blättler stressed that Switzerland remains a safe country. Nevertheless, one must acknowledge that we live in a changed world in which new crime phenomena are also occurring in this country.
Source: SRF News
Source: SRF