Austrian teenager prevents potential school attack in Germany

A 16-year-old Austrian teenager appeared to have prevented a school attack in Germany after being told of plans by another youth during an internet chat, the newspaper Kurier reported on Thursday.

The teenager was chatting with a German of the same age in the early hours of Wednesday. The latter based in Lower Saxony, unveiled the plans to "clean up" his school.

He also sent photos of weapons, and named the Sollingschule school in the city of Uslar as his target.

The Linz-based Austrian saved the contents of the online chat, and took it to a local police station on Wednesday morning. Two officers on duty acted quickly, and informed their German counterparts of the potential threat.

Through the detailed contents of the chat, the police were able to discern the identity of the youth in question.

Later as the school was warned of the threat, the police apprehended the suspect at home. He admitted the plans, which he claimed were due to frustration at being bullied.

The authorities said the situation had been precarious, with further evidence of the planned attack found at the suspect's home, including knives, an axe, a bow, along with a name list of possible targets and a farewell letter.

Students were given the day off as a precaution, and the police searched the school for further signs of a threat. Endit