Explosive devices at Jehovah’s Witnesses: Ex-member arrested

Some of the bombs went off, but no one was injured. The 55-year-old was arrested at his workplace on Wednesday afternoon, it was announced at a press conference in Graz. He confessed and said he actually wanted to kill his ex-wife, but a bomb mounted on her car has disappeared.

Bombs were aimed at the ex-wife

According to investigators, the 55-year-old IT technician from the Graz-Umgebung district was actually targeting his ex-wife and, as a diversionary tactic, had already mounted pipe bombs on vehicles belonging to other members of Jehovah’s Witnesses in August 2023. According to Rene Kornberger, head of the Styrian State Criminal Police Office, these were “not immense”. This was followed at Easter 2024 by a bomb “with extreme explosive power” in front of the door of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kalsdorf, said Kornberger. This did not go off, however, but another bomb did on a car in Zettling.

• Read more Chronicle: After racism scandal – radio stations remove L’amour toujours from their programs

According to his own statements, the suspect had already attached another pipe bomb to his ex-wife’s car on May 3rd. However, this has apparently not yet detonated. When he told investigators about this bomb during questioning, the ex-wife’s vehicle was immediately searched for and found in a parking lot on Elisabethstrasse in Graz. This led to a major operation and roadblocks. Explosives experts arrived, but did not find a bomb on the car – only a magnet with which the explosive device was mounted. According to Kornberger, the bomb has not yet been found, but it is assumed that the suspect had actually attached one to his ex-wife’s car. It is unclear whether it fell off and possibly detonated in the process. The search for the explosive device is still ongoing.

Exclusion after divorce

The suspect said his motive was a maintenance dispute with his ex-wife, with whom he also has two children. He apparently hadn’t seen her for 13 years, except for court hearings. He actually wanted to kill his ex-wife, and the other explosives were just meant to serve as a distraction, he said. The man was married to the woman, who is a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses, from 1991 to 2011. He was therefore also a member of the religious community, but was excommunicated after the divorce. The suspect was among around 60 former members who investigators had taken a closer look at based on information.

• Read more from Chronicle: Alpine clubs need 95 million euros for huts and trails

On Wednesday evening, Jehovah’s Witnesses expressed their gratitude and relief. “The latent threat is gone for now. We are glad that no one was hurt,” said press spokesman Markus Kakavis to the APA. Now the members can live more relaxed lives and attend meetings. They are very sad that someone would resort to such acts – even if, according to the police, it may have been a private motive. “Our understanding is that nothing justifies giving free rein to emotions with violence. That is repulsive and unacceptable,” explained the spokesman. “We found the security authorities to be very cooperative, they took it very seriously,” said Kakavis – he thanked them for “permanently securing” the Kingdom Halls in Leibnitz and Kalsdorf and for taking measures throughout Austria.

Karner congratulates the investigators

State Police Director Gerald Ortner said: “After intensive investigations, the Styrian police have achieved a great success.” As early as August 2023, the State Police Directorate had set up the “Michael” investigation team and strengthened protective measures. Events organized by Jehovah’s Witnesses were monitored. The group was gradually strengthened, and most recently around 20 men and women were involved in the direct investigations.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) congratulated in a press release: “Recognition to the investigators involved, especially to the Styrian State Office for State Protection and Combating Extremism. Thanks to professional investigations, a dangerous criminal was arrested, further possible attacks prevented and human lives protected.”

Attacks against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Styria – a chronology:

• 19 August 2023 – Explosive devices detonated on the undersides of two cars in the southern Styrian district of Leibnitz on Friday evening, but no one was injured. An unknown person had planted the pipe bombs while the two owners of the vehicles were attending a prayer meeting of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious community. The believers had heard a loud bang from outside, but could not identify it. When a woman went out to her car, she noticed parts lying around. A man had been driving home, and after a few kilometers an explosive device attached to the underside of his car exploded. The driver was uninjured, which was only “lucky,” according to the police. Security measures for the summer convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Vienna’s Happel Stadium have been increased.
• March 29, 2024 – On Good Friday, a functioning explosive device was placed in the entrance area of ​​the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ meeting and prayer room in Kalsdorf, south of Graz. Around 50 people attended the service. The police discovered the bomb in time and confiscated it, as it could have caused great damage.
• 11 April 2024 – On Thursday evening, a suspicious package was discovered near the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Eggenberg district of Graz. Explosives experts gave the all-clear: it was ultimately a wrongly delivered package containing clothing. After the all-clear was given, all cordoning measures were lifted.
• End of April 2024 – The specially founded investigation team “Michael” – based on the archangel, who is highly valued by the religious community – was a little further ahead in its investigations. They were looking for “a dangerous perpetrator who is technically skilled”. The bomb seized in Kalsdorf showed clear parallels to the explosive devices detonated in Leibnitz. The investigation team was set up at the State Office for State Protection and Combating Extremism (LSE) in Styria. Officials from the Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence (DSN) and the Styrian State Criminal Police Office also worked with the group, as did a profiler.
• May 3. 2024 – On Friday morning, a car belonging to a member of Jehovah’s Witnesses caught fire in Premstätten (Graz-Umgebung district) after an explosion. At around 4:00 a.m., residents noticed a “kind of explosion” and the vehicle burned out completely. No one was injured, a thuja hedge also caught fire and the fire brigade put out the fire.
• May 29, 2024 – On Wednesday afternoon, a suspicious car in a parking lot in the St. Leonhard district of Graz was inspected by police specialists. The area was cordoned off, but the all-clear was given afterwards. At the same time, a man was arrested in Styria who is believed to be connected to the series of attacks.