Sixth Letter Bomb in 3 Days Hurts Mayor of Vienna
A letter bomb blast injured Vienna’s mayor Sunday, the sixth explosive mailed in three days to journalists, priests and others aiding immigrants or minorities in Austria.
The bombings raise fears of growing anti-foreigner violence. Austria has been spared the kind of xenophobic violence that has hit Germany. But such sentiment is rising, fueled partly by an influx of refugees from the war-torn Balkans.
Mayor Helmut Zilk, one of the most outspoken proponents of minority rights in Austria, had returned to Vienna from Zurich, Switzerland, Sunday evening and was opening his mail when the letter exploded, the Austrian Press Assn. reported.
Zilk, 66, underwent emergency surgery for injuries to his left arm. Deputy Mayor Hans Mayr said the injuries were not life-threatening.
Three people were injured Friday by two letter bombs. On Saturday and Sunday, three other letter bombs were detected before they were opened.
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