A Syrian migrant is being celebrated for his courageous intervention during a violent knife attack in the Austrian city of Villach that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old boy and injuries to five others.

The assailant, a 23-year-old Syrian asylum seeker, was reportedly radicalised by the Isis group.

The incident unfolded on Saturday afternoon near Villach’s main square. Alaaeddin al-Halabi, a 42-year-old food delivery driver who fled Syria in 2015, was en route to a delivery when he noticed a disturbance. Observing people running and shouting for help, he saw an individual brandishing a knife.

Recognising the immediate danger, Mr Al-Halabi acted swiftly, driving his vehicle towards the attacker and striking him to halt the assault. “I immediately drove toward him and hit him with my car,” he recounted. “I mean, the goal of hitting him with the car was just to neutralise him or stop what he was doing. The goal wasn’t to harm anyone.”

In the chaos that ensued, some bystanders mistakenly believed Mr Al-Halabi was another assailant, leading them to attack his vehicle. He recounted locking himself in his car for protection until authorities arrived. “People attacked me after the incident – people on the street thought I was carrying out an attack,” he explained.

Authorities later confirmed that Mr Al-Halabi’s swift actions were instrumental in preventing further harm. Police spokesperson Rainer Dionisio stated: “It was probably a heroic act, yes. It prevented something worse from happening.”

Villach’s mayor, Günther Albel, also praised the intervention, noting, “we are very grateful to the man who intervened selflessly, courageously and decisively”.

The assailant, whose identity has not been disclosed, was found to have sworn allegiance to Isis, with flags of the terror outfit discovered at his residence. Interior minister Gerhard Karner described the attack as an Islamist act, indicating the suspect had been radicalised online. The victims, five Austrians and one Turkish national, were reportedly chosen at random.

This tragedy has reignited discussions on migration and security within Austria. Right-wing political figures have seized upon the incident to advocate for stricter immigration policies. Herbert Kickl, leader of the far-right Freedom Party, expressed his outrage, stating, “I am angry at those politicians who have allowed stabbings, rapes, gang wars and other capital crimes to become the order of the day in Austria”.

In contrast, the Free Syrian Community of Austria extended condolences to the victims’ families and emphasised that the perpetrator’s actions do not reflect the broader Syrian community living peacefully in the country.

“We are grateful to have found asylum and protection in Austria,” the organisation stated. “Anyone who causes strife and disturbs the peace of society does not represent the Syrians who have sought and received protection here.”

Reflecting on his actions, Mr Al-Halabi downplayed the hero label, urging others to act in times of crisis. “People look at me as a hero, but I don’t see it that way,” he said. “If something like this happens again, you have to do something. You can’t just stand there, take photos and film videos.”

This incident marks the second deadly extremist attack in Austria in recent years. In November 2020, a man previously attempting to join Isis, carried out a rampage in Vienna, resulting in four deaths before police fatally shot him.

Additional reporting by Reuters