A 29-year-old Yemeni migrant set his pregnant girlfriend’s building on fire two weeks after moving back in with her in the Austrian city of Graz, according to police.
The Yemeni man had only moved back into the apartment for two weeks, but during that time, he reportedly threatened his girlfriend multiple times with a knife. Police say he repeatedly told her he would kill her.
According to police, the two had an on-and-off-again relationship. The woman was pregnant and had a daughter from another relationship.
On Oct. 26, a public holiday known as Austrian National Day, the man reportedly set the apartment building on fire at Deutschfeistritz. Both the mother and the daughter were injured during the arson attack, reports Austrian news outlet OE24.at.
After the arson attack, witnesses noticed flames and smoke coming from the building; however, due to a quick emergency response, the fire department was able to quickly extinguish the blaze. No other injuries were reported besides the woman and her daughter.
The Yemeni suspect was arrested but has not made a statement. He has already been banned from carrying weapons and is not allowed to approach the woman. He is currently in Graz-Jakomini prison.
Arson attacks involving foreigners have plagued Europe in recent years. In many cases, migrants have set fire to their asylum accommodations, often in “protest” over their living conditions or because they wanted to be moved to another country. However, in many cases, these migrants either commit random arson attacks or set fire to an entire building to target one individual.
Recently, a case involving a Sudanese migrant saw him set fire to 16 apartment buildings in France, cars, a church, and other structures. He seriously injured one victim and dozens of others were also injured in the random attacks.
