IS supporter gets life sentence for fatal stabbing in Austria

A 24-year-old Syrian man, identified as an Islamic State supporter, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a fatal stabbing that occurred in the Austrian city of Villach in February 2025. The jury convicted him of murder, five counts of attempted murder, and terrorist offenses related to the attack.

During the trial, the man displayed no remorse for his actions. When questioned by the judge about whether he would commit the act again, he reportedly nodded affirmatively. The public prosecutor stated during the proceedings that the perpetrator "wanted every victim to have died and wanted to stab even more people."

The attacker himself declared, "I wanted to stab men between 14 and 45 years old, exactly as prescribed by IS." These statements were significant factors in the court's decision to impose the maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

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He wanted every victim to have died and wanted to stab even more people.

The incident involved the man stabbing six people in the city center, including a 14-year-old boy who later succumbed to his injuries. The other five victims survived the assault. The perpetrator had been residing in Austria since 2020 on a residence permit.

Austrian media reported that the man's radicalization was notably rapid, allegedly occurring through the social media app TikTok. His brother expressed surprise at the radicalization, noting that the 24-year-old came from a liberal family with no strong religious convictions.

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I wanted to stab men between 14 and 45 years old, exactly as prescribed by IS.