Winterthur terror suspects were already under investigation

A gunman struck in the heart of Vienna, killing four people and injuring 23, before being shot dead by police. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

Two men being held in connection with a recent terror attack in Vienna were already under criminal investigation in Switzerland, it has emerged.

The duo, aged 18 and 24, were arrested in the Swiss city of Winterthur on Tuesday – the day after a gunman shot four people dead in the Austrian capital. They were both being prosecuted for suspected terror-related offences, Swiss federal police confirmed on Wednesday.

The exact nature of the existing criminal investigations has not been revealed. Swiss police also confirmed that both men were known to the Vienna gunman, who was shot dead by police.

A Swiss citizen was among the 23 people wounded during the attack, but her injuries were described as “slight” by the Swiss foreign ministry.

A foreign ministry tweet said it “strongly condemns all terrorist acts of violence and reminds people that respect for human life must be maintained in every situation and under all circumstances.”

Winterthur, located northeast of Zurich, has a recent history of Islamic radicalization. In recent years, an imam was deported from the city to Somalia for hate preaching and another person, dubbed the “Emir of Winterthur” was sentenced to a 50-month jail term for recruiting jihad fighters. A mosque in the city has also been closed down by the authorities.