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Friday, February 9, 2024

Switzerland: Iranian Hostage Taker Shot Dead by Police

-NZZ


On Thursday evening, a 32-year-old Iranian asylum-seeker, known to police, took hostages on a train in western Switzerland. Police had to storm the train and shot the attacker to death. No hostages were wounded.

The below article from the Swiss French-language news outlet, Le Matin, is translated by Fousesquawk.

 https://www.lematin.ch/story/vaud-train-attaque-lauteur-a-ete-formellement-identifie-103039434

Train attacked: The perpetrator has been formally identified


The 32-year-old man responsible for the taking of hostages, Thursday evening, was known to police services. His motivations are reportedly tied to his conditions as an asylum-seeker.


Caption: The man had taken passengers hostage on a train between Baulmes and Yverdon-les-Bains (Canton Vaud) Thursday evening, February 8, 2024.

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We know more about the man who took passengers hostage on a train connecting Baulmes and Yverdon-les-Bains (Vaud) Thursday evening. And his motivations.

According to a statement from the cantonal police of Vaud, he is a 32-year-old asylum-seeker of Iranian nationality, residing in the canton of Geneva.

The hostage taker was armed with a hatchet, a hammer, and a knife. Around 10:15 pm, members of the (police) intervention team attacked. One of them first used his taser to immobilize the man, who rushed at them, the Vaud police state.

The armed individual, nevertheless, continued his path in the direction of the police and the passengers. It was then that a member of the unit used his weapon to neutralize him. The man was mortally hit, and no hostages were wounded.

The police knew him

According to the initial elements of the investigation, his motivations are reportedly linked to his conditions as an asylum-seeker, as well as his insistent desire to have contacts with a (female) staff member at a center for asylum-seekers.

The police had also had to intervene several times because of his behavior. states the press release. The investigation continues under the direction of the Public Prosecutor's Ministry.

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*Update: The Swiss German-language outlet, Blick, has a 45-second cell phone video from one of the hostages in which the hostage taker is speaking to the passengers in broken English.

https://www.blick.ch/schweiz/westschweiz/mit-axt-bewaffnet-voruebergehende-geiselnahme-in-einem-zug-in-der-waadt-id19416198.html









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