In the ex-wife's car

Bomb found in ex’s car in Styria

(Bild: Wulf Scherbichler)

The missing explosive device that the 55-year-old suspected bomb maker had placed in his ex-wife's car in Styria has been found.

As the Styrian Provincial Police Directorate announced on Monday, the bomb was hidden behind a shoring in the car in a different place than the suspect had indicated. It was only on Friday that the 55-year-old was remanded in custody in Graz-Jakomini prison. He had previously confessed to having planted the explosive devices at the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Initially no explosive device found
According to initial investigations, the suspect apparently did not want to take action against the religious community, but against his ex-wife. During the initial searches, neither a magnet nor any other remains of a bomb that might have fallen off were found.

Explosives sniffer dogs did not strike
Nevertheless, the investigators assumed that the suspect had actually mounted an explosive device on the Styrian woman's car. It is unclear why the explosives detection dogs failed to detect the device. 

(Bild: Wulf Scherbichler)

"The investigators discovered the explosive device on Monday afternoon during a detailed examination with a lifting platform," police spokesman Markus Lamb explained the details. "It was seized and is now being examined."

The bomb is now being examined. It will also be an important piece of evidence in the trial.

Polizeisprecher Markus Lamb

This was an important step, says Lamb, as attempts had been made over the weekend to search the streets where the car had been traveling with metal detectors - a difficult undertaking. Due to the design and the trigger, the police do not believe that the bomb was acutely dangerous, but also not fundamentally harmless.