Swiss police said on Thursday that a knife attack at the train station in the city of Winterthur, which left three people injured, was a “terrorist act.” The suspect, a 31-year-old man with dual Swiss-Turkish citizenship and a resident of Winterthur in northern Zurich, was arrested immediately after the attack.
The incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. local time. Mario Fehr, the security director of the Canton of Zurich, described the attack as a “heinous terrorist act” and said that the police “acted very promptly and effectively, preventing an even greater tragedy.”
Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Fehr praised the courage of a female teacher who stood up to the attacker to protect her students. He said, “Several courageous individuals were present there, and that teacher acted in an extraordinary manner.”
Marius Wehrli, commander of the Zurich cantonal police, also stated that authorities had received information about the suspect in 2015 for publishing and distributing propaganda for the terrorist group داعش (ISIS). He emphasized, “The motive behind this act must be sought in connection with extremism.”
The Swiss newspaper Blick published a video showing a man running out of Winterthur station shouting “Allahu Akbar.”
According to medical reports, the three injured victims are being treated in hospital. One suffered injuries to the leg, another to the neck, and the third to the thigh. The Zurich police commander said that the third victim underwent emergency surgery due to the severity of the injuries.
This attack comes at a time when Switzerland has, compared with other European countries, largely remained safe from terrorist threats and similar attacks.
Writer:Salima Hakimi
