Three arrested, including 14-year-old, for planned attack at Vienna Pride parade, Austrian police say
Three people, suspected of being Islamic extremists, have been arrested in Austria for allegedly planning an attack on the annual LGBTQ+ Pride parade.
The parade, which attracted over 300,000 people, was held in the capital city of Vienna on Saturday.
The Austrian security services reported that the young men, aged 14, 17, and 20, were arrested at their residences on Saturday. While they did not disclose specific details, they mentioned that weapons such as knives, an axe, and air guns were seized.
Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, the head of Austrian domestic intelligence, told a press conference on Sunday that authorities deliberately withheld information about the planned attack until after the parade to prevent participants from feeling anxious.
He said the individuals were Austrian citizens of Bosnian and Chechen descent, and one of them had previously faced terrorism charges and were known to the police. He also said authorities were aware that IS have called for further attacks in Europe, referring to a recent report published by Europol, the European police organisation.