A gunman who killed four people in Vienna on the city’s final night before lockdown was a convicted ISIS supporter who was freed from prison last year after “fooling” his way through a deradicalisation course.
The terrorist - named as 20-year-old Kujtim Fejzulai - was shot dead by police nine minutes after he opened fire in the Austrian capital’s historic city centre on Monday.
A day later Swiss officials said two men were arrested near Zurich in connection with the deadly shooting rampage in Vienna.
"Police investigations led to the identification of an 18-year-old and a 24-year-old Swiss citizen. The two men were arrested on Tuesday (November 3, 2020) afternoon in Winterthur in coordination with the Austrian authorities," Zurich police said in a statement.
Armed with an assault rifle and handguns, the terrorist unleashed a series of attacks on six locations as people enjoyed their last few hours outside bars and cafes before Austria was plunged into its second lockdown.
Two men and two women were killed and many more, including a police officer, were seriously injured.
Fejzulai was released from prison in December after serving less than a year for being an ISIS sympathiser.
The attacker, who held Austrian and North Macedonian citizenship, was sentenced to 22 months’ jail in April 2019 but was granted early release.
Austria’s Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said Fejzulai had completed a deradicalisation programme.
"The perpetrator managed to fool the deradicalisation programme of the justice system, to fool the people in it, and to get an early release through this,” he said.
Chancellor Sebastian Kurz earlier vowed to “hunt down the perpetrators and those who stand behind them”.
The attack was first reported near the city's Seitenstettengasse synagogue around 8pm.
The gunman, who was dressed in white coveralls, had a fake explosive belt strapped to his body.
He had posted a photo on his Instagram account shortly before the attack with two of the weapons authorities believed were used in the attack.
His victims were an elderly woman, an elderly man, a young male passer-by and a waitress. Three of the wounded victims were in critical condition.
The assault sparked a city-wide manhunt for further attackers but by Tuesday afternoon authorities said analysis of video footage “does not at this time show any evidence of a second attacker”.
However, the possibility of a second shooter is yet to be officially ruled out by investigators.
Residents were told to stay indoors as up to 1,000 police officers spread out across the city in the hunt for possible accomplices.
Detectives arrested 14 people in 18 raids across Vienna and Lower Austria.
Several of those arrested were “linked to the shooter”, Mr Nehammer said.
Terrorism experts told The National that the Vienna attack appeared to be part of a carefully planned pre-lockdown strategy targeting Europe.
They said an ISIS plot cannot be ruled out and that the group is taking advantage of the focus on tackling the second coronavirus wave sweeping the continent.
On Thursday, three people died in France after a stabbing rampage at Nice’s Notre-Dame basilica.
The terrorist behind that attack, Brahim Aioussaoi, is believed to be an ISIS soldier who recently arrived in France from Tunisia.
Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of think tank the Counter Extremism Project, said the Vienna terrorist used a “window of opportunity” to target large crowds before the country went into lockdown.
He said: “The attacker used a firearm and seemed to have had a certain level of competency in using it.
“This requires training, in particular when using such a weapon in a highly stressful situation. Therefore, it seems very likely that the attacker had some – at least – paramilitary training.
“The problem is that after such a string of ‘successful’ terrorist operations in France, it is hard to distinguish whether other attacks are part of a wider plan or whether they are happening because radicalised individuals feel additionally motivated to do something in their area as well,” he added.
“However, what is clear is that the Vienna attacker and his potential accomplices have chosen the timing and the location for the attacks very smartly. The preparations, the procurement of weapons and ammunition and possible training, must have been planned for quite a while and last night presented a window of opportunity before the target environment would have become very depleted again due to the national lockdown.”
Mr Kurz said the attacker was "well equipped with automatic weapons" and "prepared professionally”.
The Austrian leader vowed that the country would "defend our values, our way of living and our democracy" from extremists.
“This is not a struggle between Christians and Muslims, or between Austrians and migrants,” he said.
“It’s a struggle between the many who believe in peace, and the few who seek war. A struggle between civilisation and barbarism.”
Witnesses had earlier spoken of their horror as they watched Fejzulai kill random people in cold blood.
Rabbi Schlomo Hofmeister was living in the compound of the synagogue as the attack unfolded.
He told London’s LBC radio: "Upon hearing shots, we looked down [from] the windows and saw the gunmen shooting at the guests of the various bars and pubs.
"The gunmen were running around and shooting at least 100 rounds or even more in front of our building. It was a terrible, terrible view.”
Monday's ordeal was reminiscent of another terrorist attack that occurred outside the same Vienna synagogue in 1981.
On that occasion, Palestinian terrorists attacked Jewish worshippers with hand grenades and automatic weapons, killing two people and injuring a further 18, including three children.
In 1985, there was another attack on the Jewish community by a Palestinian terrorist who killed two people at the ticket office for Israeli Airline El-Al at Vienna Airport.
Jewish community leader Oskar Deutsch said it was unclear if the synagogue was targeted in Monday's attack because it was closed at the time.
Mr Deutsch told the Kurier newspaper that no members of Vienna's Jewish community were injured in the attack.
Austrian soldiers guarded key sites in Vienna to free up police for the investigation.
Two of Austria's neighbours, Germany and the Czech Republic, also stepped up border checks in case any suspected attackers attempted to flee the country.
Mr Deutsch told the Kurier newspaper that no members of Vienna's Jewish community were injured in the attack.
Austrian soldiers were guarding key sites in Vienna, freeing up police to continue their searches.
Two of Austria's neighbours, Germany and the Czech Republic, also stepped up border checks in case any suspected attackers attempted to flee the country.
Police officers were carrying out random checks on vehicles and passengers, Czech police said.
The attack drew swift condemnation and assurances of support from leaders around Europe, including from French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country has experienced three attacks in recent weeks.
Mr Macron said: “We French share the shock and sorrow of the Austrian people".
He referred to the Nice attack and the beheading of a school teacher by an extremist outside Paris days before.
“Our enemies must know with whom they are dealing,” he said. “We will not retreat. This is our Europe.”
US President Donald Trump tweeted on Monday night “these evil attacks against innocent people must stop”.
“Our prayers are with the people of Vienna after yet another vile act of terrorism in Europe,” he said.
“The US stands with Austria, France, and all of Europe in the fight against terrorists, including radical Islamic terrorists.”
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe was fighting a “common enemy” of Islamist terrorism.
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Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
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US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
