ATM bomb attacks: Dutch, Romanian, and German suspects face trial
A major ATM bombing case is now before the Austrian courts after a powerful explosion in Gänserndorf nearly killed a security guard and exposed a cross-border criminal network operating in Austria.
According to the indictment reported by Der Standard, a 50-kilogram safe door was blown out of a bank during an explosion and narrowly missed a guard sitting in a car nearby. The gang escaped with about €273,000, while nearly €200,000 was left behind because of the speed of their getaway.
The attack in Gänserndorf in February 2025 was followed by two more incidents in Neusiedl am See and Hofkirchen im Traunkreis in Opper-Oostenrijk (Upper Austria). Investigators say the group caused around €2.5 million in property damage while stealing about €660,000, which was transferred to the Netherlands.
The five suspects, aged 19 to 43, are Dutch, Romanian and German nationals. The alleged ringleaders are the Dutch citizens محمد ل. and زكريا ن., both with criminal records. Prosecutors say the group used garages to build explosives, tracked ATM refill times with hidden cameras, relied on encrypted messaging, and stored large amounts of fuel to avoid stopping during escapes.
Authorities describe the crimes as part of a Europees georganiseerde misdaadstructuur (European organized crime structure). The suspects face charges of belonging to a criminal organization, aggravated commercial robbery, and intentionally endangering public safety with explosives. Under Oostenrijks strafrecht (Austrian criminal law), they could receive up to ten years in prison, while the 19-year-old German defendant will be tried under jeugdrecht (juvenile law).