Austrian Home Affairs Minister Called One Of The Violators Of The Vienna Attack "Islamist Terrorist"

Police block a road near the Schwedenplatz square after a gun battle in Vienna, Austria (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - Austrian Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said at least one "Islamist terrorist" was behind the shootings in Vienna. The attack killed three people and injured several others.

In a televised press conference on Tuesday, November 3, Nehammer repeated calls for the public to stay at home. He said one assailant wearing an explosive belt who turned out to be a fake was an ISIS sympathizer.

The attacker was shot dead by police who are still hunting down the other attackers. "We had an attack last night from at least one Islamist terrorist," said Nehammer.

Nehammer added that the attacks were an attempt to weaken or divide Austrian democratic society.

Gunmen attacked six locations in central Vienna on Monday evening, November 2, starting outside the synagogue's Jewish building of worship.

Witnesses described the people shooting at the crowd at the bar with automatic rifles, as many took advantage of the last night before the national curfew was imposed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Police confirmed on Tuesday that three civilians - two men and one woman - were killed in the attack, and 15 others were injured, including a police officer.

Police closed most of Vienna's historic center overnight and urged the public to take shelter. Many took refuge in bars and hotels, while public transport throughout the old city was closed and police roamed the city.

The Austrian capital has so far avoided the kind of deadly militant attacks that have hit Paris, London, Berlin and Brussels in recent years.

Oskar Deutsch, head of Vienna's Jewish community, which has offices adjoining places of worship on a narrow cobbled street lined with bars, said via Twitter that it was unclear whether the temple or office was being targeted.

Videos circulated on social media of a gunman running down a cobbled road screaming. One of them shows a man shooting at someone outside what looks like a bar on the street where there is a synagogue.

Condolences flowed from all over the world, with top officials from the European Union, France, Norway, Greece and the United States expressing their shock at the attack.

US President Donald Trump said in a tweet that "our prayers are with the Viennese people after another heinous act of terrorism in Europe."

"These vicious attacks against innocent people must be stopped. The US supports Austria, France and all of Europe in the fight against terrorists, including radical Islamic terrorists."

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden condemned what he described as a "terrible terrorist attack."

"We must all unite against hatred and violence," said Biden.