Temple-shooting Raid Cop Saved By Vest

BiggChan · June 19, 2009

Temple-shooting raid cop saved by vest

By Thomas Hochwarter

A policeman was saved by his bulletproof vest after a suspect in the Sikh Temple killings opened fire at special forces commandos during a series of coordinated raids this week, police have revealed.

Officers said yesterday (Weds) Amrit S., a 26-year-old Austrian citizen of Indian background, fired two shots through the closed door of his flat at Cobra and Wega units during raids at nine different houses across Vienna.

Police spokesman Michael Takacs said police later found the bullet in the officer’s vest while another was lodged in a wall opposite the flat.

Takacs said the man had told them he fired the shots because he was "afraid" and "by accident".

It was also revealed that the man worked for a security firm and that the weapon, a nine-millimetre calibre Glock, was registered. He is suspected of providing the main suspect of the May 24th shootings in the temple in Pelzgasse, located only a few hundred metres from his flat in Preysinggasse, with a weapon.

Police also rubbished earlier reports that the alleged ringleader was shot in the head during the attacks which killed a guru and left 15 people injured.

Takacs said the man was in an artificial coma with severe head injuries but had not been hit by a bullet, adding it was unclear whether the man would ever fully recover physically and mentally from his injuries.

Takacs also dismissed claims police had secured "brutal pictures" in the house raids but said they confiscated a "painted portrait of a martyr" in Amrit S’s flat. He said dozens of other items of evidence have been secured and knives and daggers confiscated.

Amrit S. was the only person taken into custody following the raids on Monday. Six men detained immediately after the temple attack remain in custody. Four of them were asylum seekers.

Sikh Sant Rama Anand was killed in the brawl while Sant Niranjan Dass suffered serious injuries. Dass left Austria for the Indian province of Punjab two weeks ago while thousands of believers attended the cremation of Anand after his body was flown home.

Austrian Times

http://austriantimes.at/index.php?id=14086&print=1