Man convicted of 1985 attack on Israeli airline in Vienna dies in prison

September 19 (EUROPA PRESS) –

A man sentenced to life in prison for a 1985 attack on Israeli airline passengers at Vienna airport by a Palestinian armed group led by Abu Nidal has died in an Austrian prison after 38 years behind bars.

The man, Taufiq ben Ahmed Chaovali, 64, died in his cell on Wednesday, according to a spokesman for Stein prison, who added that an autopsy would be carried out to clarify the cause of death, Austrian news agency APA reported.

The attack, which took place on 27 December 1985, targeted a group of passengers waiting to board a flight operated by the Israeli airline El Al. Three passengers were killed and nearly 40 others were injured. Chaovali was also sentenced to death along with another of the attackers, but was released 22 years later.

The attack on Vienna airport took place almost simultaneously with another attack on an airport in Rome, also attributed to Abu Nidal’s group, which left 16 dead and more than 75 wounded. The three members of the commando were killed, while a fourth was arrested.