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Man beaten by police after brothel visit

A 34-year-old man was seriously injured after a police interrogation following a visit to a Vienna brothel in March. In court on Monday, his lawyer alleged police brutality.

Man beaten by police after brothel visit
An arrest. Photo: APA

The man, a construction engineer, was visiting a prostitute in a brothel in March 2014, when he discovered that his wallet containing €2500 had gone missing.

Suspecting that one of his colleagues had stolen the money, the man called the police.  According to the police report, the man became quite argumentative with the responding policewoman, insisting that she take action to recover his money.

In addition, the man felt that the female officer was addressing him in a very insulting and abusive way, and so attempted to use his iPhone to record the conversation.

The police woman responded by summoning as backup a total of three patrols, who brought the man, his friends, and the prostitute back to the station for further questioning.

During an interview session, it is alleged that the man became agitated, and had to be physically restrained. The man claimed that the policewoman was again insulting and abusive, and that he was attempting to record the session with his iPhone when he was attacked by police.

He was allegedly forced to the ground, shackled and punched several times by up to six police. The man sustained a number of injuries, including a broken jaw which required hospital treatment.

The man has been charged with resisting arrest and aggravated violence.  

The trial proceedings were suspended indefinitely, pending the availability of a forensic medical report into his injuries.

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CRIME

Austria detains suspected Islamists amid security fears

Authorities in Austria have detained three people amid concerns over calls for terror attacks on December 24th.

Austria detains suspected Islamists amid security fears

Austria on Sunday said three people were detained for suspected involvement in an “Islamist network”, as Vienna and Cologne step up police controls citing heightened security concerns during Christmas.

German police are carrying out strict controls at the entry of the cathedral in the western city of Cologne following a “danger warning” for New Year’s Eve.

Austrian police have also stepped up checks, especially around churches, religious events and Christmas markets in Vienna, citing an “increased risk”.

Austrian authorities “intervening in an Islamist network” made four arrests Saturday, the interior ministry said Sunday.

A ministry spokesman said of the four, three had been detained pending further investigations.

“There was no immediate threat of an attack in Vienna,” he told AFP, declining to comment further.

According to the German daily Bild, one arrest was also made in Germany.

The arrested suspects are said to be Tajiks who allegedly wanted to carry out attacks for Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), an IS offshoot in Afghanistan, Bild reported.

“Terrorist actors across Europe are calling for attacks on Christian events — especially around December 24th,” Vienna police said in a statement.

Besides Austria and Germany, Spain also received indications that an Islamist group was planning several attacks in Europe, possibly on New Year’s Eve and Christmas, Bild said.

According to the newspaper, the targets of these attacks could be Christmas masses in Cologne, Vienna and Madrid.

In July, a cell of suspected Islamists from IS-K was dismantled in Germany and the Netherlands.

Those arrested in Germany were said at the time to have been planning an attack in the country.

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