Scores Wounded In Gunfire At Sikh Temple (Vienna Austria)

[tomm2thumbs]

Source: Sky News

About 30 people have been hurt in a shoot-out at a Sikh temple in Vienna, the emergency rescue services have said. Police say nine people were severely wounded when members of two families starting shooting at each other.

Five suspects have been arrested, said police spokesman Michael Takacs.
The Indian temple is situated in Vienna-Rudolfsheim, the capital's 15th district.

update to follow

Read more: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Shooting-At-Sikh-Temple-In-Vienna-Austria-Scores-Wounded/Article/200905415287618

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From Newser - Groups of rival worshippers at a Sikh temple in the Austrian capital pulled knives and at least one handgun in a mass fight Sunday, police and ambulance staff said. At least 11 people were wounded. Witnesses said the fight erupted after a dispute over the sermon, given by a man identified by the Austria Press Agency as Shri Guru Ravidas Sabha. Police said at least six men, one wielding a gun and the others knives, attacked the preacher. Others rushed to his aid, resulting in the melee.

Police spokesman Michael Takacs told APA that one of the attackers is in critical condition, while the wounds of the others were less serious. More people may have been slightly hurt and have run outside the temple before police arrived, he said.

Four ambulances and three medical helicopters transported the victims to the hospital.

The temple is situated in Vienna-Rudolfsheim, the capital's 15th district. Police cordoned off the area.

http://www.newser.com/article/d98cl2401/austria-up-to-11-people-wounded-in-fighting-in-sikh-temple-in-vienna.html

Slideshow from the scene at newser link

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. BBC:

Police said five men armed with knives and another with a pistol began fighting during a festival, the BBC's Bethany Bell reported.

The number of injured is expected to rise, a police spokeswoman said.

All six of the armed men were severely injured in the incident and were taken to hospital, where they were arrested, our correspondent said.

She said the men were apparently extremists who disagreed with the teachings of the preacher.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8066005.stm

[jberryhill]

2. "Groups of rival worshippers"

I don't suppose God weighed in on this altercation.

What in heck were these people competing to worship?

[Coventina]

3. Right-wing outcry after temple death

Ewald Stadler, European Parliament (EP) election front-runner for the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) said today (Mon) "problem gurus and hate preachers” should not be allowed into the country. Stadler called for the re-introduction of border checks between Austria and Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic respectively, suggesting similar restrictions on the borders to Italy and Germany could also be an option.

Stadler repeated his calls for more police officers and called for an increase in subsidies for institutions who secure interior safety.

FPÖ boss Heinz-Christian Strache claimed the "policy of open doors" of the Social Democrats would "lead into chaos and multicultural crime”.

Vienna SPÖ Integration Councillor Sandra Frauenberger said it was "disgraceful” Strache was now thinking of nothing else than "acting as a hate preacher who incites people against each other”.

http://www.wienerzeitung.at/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=4082&Alias=wzo&cob=415821
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Sadly predictable.....