Stabbing attack: 'Suspect was likely inspired by IS'

The Syrian asylum seeker suspected of carrying out a deadly stabbing rampage in the Austrian town of Villach is believed to be a follower of Islamic State (IS) who was radicalised online, authorities said on Sunday.

- Agencies

VILLACH, AUSTRIA:

A 14-year-old boy was killed in Saturday's attack and five other people were wounded, police said at a press conference.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said the 23-year-old Syrian man arrested soon after the attack had been rapidly radicalised on the internet and that the Islamic State (IS) flag had been found in his apartment. Authorities said the man had sworn an oath of allegiance to IS.

The bloodshed in Villach followed the thwarting of a plot in August to carry out a suicide attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna by a teenager who had sworn loyalty to IS.

Saturday's rampage also came just days after an attack on Thursday in Munich in neighbouring Germany by an Afghan national who drove his car into a crowd, injuring dozens of people, two of whom later died.