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The Federal Police Office (Fedpol) suspects a terrorist background in the knife attack in Lugano. Director Nicoletta della Valle said Tuesday night at a news conference in Bellinzona. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office (BA) opened criminal proceedings.
“This attack does not surprise me,” said Nicoletta della Valle, who was connected to the press conference by video. Fedpol is working hand-in-hand with the canton of Ticino police to investigate the case. “This collaboration works very well.”
Della Valle referred to the other case in Switzerland currently being investigated for an alleged terrorist antecedent: the knife attack in Morges, in which a 29-year-old Portuguese was stabbed to death in mid-September. The perpetrator was known to the federal intelligence service.
The perpetrator was known to the authorities.
The 28-year-old, who assaulted two women in a large department store in Lugano shortly after 2 p.m., was also known to authorities, said both Nicoletta della Valle and Matteo Cocchi, commander of Ticino’s cantonal police. Now it is necessary to clarify if the woman has a connection with the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS). It is still too early to know more details.
Ticino’s online portal “tio.ch” reported in the afternoon that the perpetrator had called “sono dell’Isis” – “I am from Isis” or “Allah akbar” – “God is greater (or: the greatest)” . However, these facts could not be verified, says “tio.ch”.
Sommaruga expresses compassion
Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga telephoned Ticino District President Norman Gobbi to express her sympathy for the affected women and the people of Ticino and to secure the support of the federal government, according to the Keystone-SDA news agency.
Ticino Prime Minister Norman Gobbi told the media that the woman was supposed to have been radicalized. “The situation is extremely serious,” said the head of the Ticino Department of Justice and Police. If the assumption expressed by Fedpol is confirmed, the canton of Ticino would face a terrorist act for the first time. “We are determined to defend the safety of our citizens,” Gobbi concluded.
Canton Ticino Police Commander Cocchi said the threat of terrorism is omnipresent. It was important to react quickly and that was what they had done. The investigation of the case will be in charge of Fedpol.
On November 24, 2020, it arrived at a department store in #Lugano to one presumed #terrorist motivated attack on multiple people. In this context, # Federal Attorney one #Criminal procedures Opened.
– fedpol (@fedpolCH) November 24, 2020
On Tuesday afternoon, shortly after 2 pm, there was a knife fight in a large department store in Lugano. According to the canton of Ticino police, the attacker is a 28-year-old Swiss woman. He attacked two women inside the store, one of them with a knife. One of the victims was seriously injured.
Briefly doomed attack
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz spoke on Twitter with a statement about the incident in Lugano. He deeply condemns the attack. My thoughts are with the victims. Wishing you a speedy recovery. We support Switzerland in these difficult hours. ”Kurz wants to give a united European response to Islamist terrorism and defend his own values, as he wrote to Federal President Simonetta Sommaruga.
I fully condemn today’s Islamist terrorist attack on #Lugano. My thoughts are with the victims wishing them a full and speedy recovery. We are with #Switzerland in these difficult hours. We will give a joint response to Islamist terrorism in #Europe and defend our values. @s_sommaruga
– Sebastián Kurz (@sebastiankurz) November 24, 2020
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