Afghan man admits to Vienna knife attacks, denies terror motive

A 23-year-old man held after two knife attacks in Vienna on Wednesday night confesses to both acts but denies any political motive, police say on Thursday.

The first attack near the Nestroyplatz metro station resulted in a couple and their 17-year-old daughter receiving severe injuries. The 67-year-old father is still in a critical condition, while the injuries of his two relatives are not thought to be life-threatening, police say.

The suspect, an Afghan national, blames his “aggressive feeling and rage about his life situation” for the stabbings, according to police spokesman Patrick Maierhofer.

Around half an hour later the man attacked another Afghan man in the Praterstern area. Maierhofer says the suspect knew the man and blamed him for his drug addiction problems. Police say the victim is not thought to be in a life-threatening condition.

— AFP