Syrian arrested after deadly stabbing attack in Austrian village

Austrians were placing candles Sunday on the site of a stabbing that left a teenager dead and five other people injured, shaking the Alpine nation after this week's collapse of government talks where immigration and security were major issues.

A 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker was arrested after Saturday's attack in the southern city of Villach.

A 14-year-old boy died, while five other men - the oldest a 36-year-old - were hurt, including two seriously.

A food deliverer - also from Syria - intervened, ramming his car into the attacker, who was slightly hurt, police said.

"I saw a person lying on the ground, a man was attacking other passers-by. I didn't think twice and drove at him," the Krone tabloid quoted the deliverer named Alaaeddin Alhalabi. 

"He wanted to go towards the city center, there were children on the street. I couldn't let that happen."

'Unbelievable atrocity'

The suspect is an asylum seeker with a valid residence permit and no criminal record, according to preliminary information, said police.

Police said they could not yet comment on the motive of the attack, but were verifying eyewitness accounts that the attacker had shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest).

"First, he argued with people in a side street, then he started hitting around him. We first tried to hold him down. Then we saw the knife and backed away," one eyewitness told Krone. "It was like a movie. He went after everyone."

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner is set to travel to Villach on Sunday.

Carinthia Governor Peter Kaiser of the Social Democrats called for the "harshest consequences" for this "unbelievable atrocity".

Far-right leader Herbert Kickl - whose party topped September's national elections for the first time ever - said he was "appalled" by the attack, calling for "a rigorous clamp-down on asylum."

Kickl's Freedom Party (FPOe) this week failed in talks to form a government with the runner-up and incumbent conservatives because of disagreements - among others - over who would hold sensitive cabinet posts dealing with security.

Austria hosts a large Syrian refugee population of almost 100,000.

After Bashar al-Assad's ouster in Syria in December, Austria and several European countries froze pending asylum requests from Syrians to reassess the situation.

In addition, Austria has stopped family reunifications and sent out at least 2,400 letters to revoke refugee status.

The interior ministry has said it is preparing "an orderly repatriation and deportation programme to Syria".