VIENNA (Reuters) - The trial of six men accused of assisting a jihadist who went on a deadly shooting rampage in Vienna two years ago opened on Tuesday, as lawyers for the men denied they knew what the gunman was planning.
The 20-year-old attacker, who was shot dead by police within minutes of opening fire, killed four people on Nov. 2, 2020, mowing down crowds as they sat on terraces enjoying a warm evening the day before a new national coronavirus lockdown. More than 20 people were injured.
While police have said they believe the gunman, Kujtim Fejzulai, who held Austrian and North Macedonian nationality, carried out the attack alone, the six defendants are accused of providing various kinds of help beforehand. One accompanied him on a failed attempt to buy ammunition in nearby Slovakia while another allegedly supplied the assault rifle he used.
"I am sure that every one of you knows what you were doing on the evening of Nov. 2, 2020," national news agency APA quoted a prosecutor as telling the jury in the packed courtroom.
The defendants, who face terror charges, had "causally contributed to the execution of the crime", she added.
All but one of the men have long been known to domestic intelligence as supporters of Islamic State, like the attacker, according to Austrian media. Lawyers for the men said they would plead not guilty.
One of the defendants, Ismail Bayandir, is accused of having taken part in preparations for the attack in the gunman's apartment, which he denies.
"He visited the attacker ... but he did not provide a psychological contribution," Manfred Arbacher-Stoeger, a lawyer for Bayandir, told Reuters shortly before the trial opened.
"He found out through the media that there had been an attack in the city centre and when he saw the images he immediately went to the police himself and said 'I think I know him. I think this was a close friend of mine,'" he added.