Suspicious package

Graz: Jehovah’s Witnesses on bomb alert again

Another bomb alert at the Jehovah's Witnesses, this time in Graz! On Thursday evening, a suspicious package was found at the entrance to the Kingdom Hall in Graz-Eggenberg. There were evacuations and a large-scale police operation including a defusing service. But the all-clear was quickly given.

On Thursday evening at around 7 pm, a member of the religious community in Graz-Eggenberg called the police emergency number because he had found a parcel in the entrance area of the Kingdom Hall - normally no parcels are delivered here. The Jehovah's Witnesses in Kalsdorf, Styria, were on high alert after a bomb was planted and defused on Good Friday. "The police arrived with a large contingent and the hall, in which some people were located, was evacuated," police spokesman Markus Lamb told "Krone".

Evacuation of residents from nearby houses
Residents of nearby houses were also quickly evacuated to safety. The Red Cross was also deployed as a precautionary measure. With the help of special technical equipment, SKO officers and EKO Cobra/DSE defusers then investigated the package. It soon emerged that it was a parcel containing clothing. "Apparently it had been delivered incorrectly," says Lamb. After the all-clear was given, the cordon measures were lifted again. No one was injured.

Investigation team expanded
Meanwhile, the investigation into two actual explosive devices in the vicinity of Kingdom Halls in Leibnitz (August 2023) and Kalsdorf is continuing intensively. Following initial indications and the latest findings regarding a highly probable connection between the two incidents, the police have expanded the number and structure of their specially appointed investigation team.

"The lead officers from the Styrian State Office for State Security and Counter-Extremism (LSE) are receiving interdisciplinary support from criminalists from various areas of the Styrian State Criminal Police Office (LKA). The experienced investigators also receive additional expertise from police explosives experts (SKO), the Disarmament Service (ESD) of EKO Cobra/DSE and various forensic technicians from different fields," according to the police.