Driver in Vienna ‘shouting Allahu Akbar’ tries to run over pedestrians

From the Austrian edition of The Local

Police in Vienna are investigating whether a 21-year-old man who tried to run over pedestrians with his car on Thursday morning had a terrorist motive. In other news Police query whether bears do business in the Vienna Woods.

Nobody was injured, as the people he targeted managed to jump out of the car’s path in time.

“He was obviously aiming at and trying to hit pedestrians,” police spokesman  Thomas Keiblinger told Radio Wien. “Witnesses said that they heard him shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ out of the car window, which was open,”

The incident happened at around 11:00 am in the district of Favoriten.

According to Austrian media the driver was born and lives in Vienna and has a Turkish background. The man was detained by police shortly after the incident. Keiblinger said he continued to shout Allahu Akbar as he was arrested.

Authorities are now investigating whether he might have had religious or political motives. According to police he has not yet made any statements. Apart from Allah Akbar, the only statement he needs.