Zug massacre

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The Zug massacre took place September 27, 2001 in the city of Zug (Canton of Zug, Switzerland) in the canton's parliament. 14 politicians were shot dead by Friedrich Leibacher, who shortly after killed himself. During the antecedent years, Leibacher draw the attention on himself by an intense use of appellates. He felt discriminated and dismissed by constitutional state, that he thought, he was constrained to this crime.

Transporting multiple weapons, including the civil version of a Stgw 90 (assault rifle of Swiss Army), a SIG-Sauer-pistol, a pump-action shotgun and a revolver, using a selfmade police vest, Leibacher was able to enter the building without any problem.

In the hall, where the members of the parliament held a meeting, he shot around. He killed three "Regierungsräte" and eleven "Kantonsräte", hurt numerous politicians as well as a few journalists, some heavily. He fired 91 rounds. Further, he ignited a selfmade bomb. Actually, his main goal was Robert Bisig, who ironically stayed unharmed. Leibacher left a suicide note titled "Tag des Zornes für die Zuger Mafia" ("Days of wrath for the Zug mafia"). Seemingly, he thought, that there was a plot against him.

In that dimension, this assault was the first of its type in Switzerland and one of the Canton of Zug's history's unhappiest days. Whole Switzerland was shocked and in dolor. Worldwide, especially in the European Union and in the German Bundestag, there was a storm of protest about this act and the politicians were in dolor because of the death of their colleagues.

[edit] Aftereffects

As an aftereffect, many local parliaments increased their security, if they even already had any security plans, or, if not, installed security measures. Some established a strict access control for visitors and security passports for the politicians.

On the national level, the Sektion Sicherheit Parlamentsgebäude (section for the security of parliament buildings) was established. as part of the Bundessicherheitsdienst (national security service), a police unit of 35, which secures the Bundeshaus in Bern. As part of the introduction of a general electronic access control for visitors, access controls with x-ray were additionally installed. Further, different wings of the Bundeshaus were secured with security gates, which have to be opened by the politicians with a badge.

Further, many cantons and communities have made files, that list the names of people, that count as Nörgler, Querulanten and Behördenhasser (nigglers, grumblers, haters of the administration), threathening people who make an intense use of appellates and bomb authorities with protest, fail and then think to be treated unfair. Since the Zug massacre, these are observed better. Mediation centres were foundated, the so-called Ombudsmänner try to mediate. Police stations became a lot more sensitive on threathenings, arrest threaters temporary and search their houses. Often, weapons are found then. Further, when certificating weapon licenses, the person is "examined" sharper, because Leibacher has been found having a paranoid personality disorder and "brain weakness" ("Gehirnschwäche") in older medical attests. Despite this, he was able to legally buy the weapons, even when he already had threated people, has been known as a grumbler and even when a report was made against him. Despite this, or due to a lack of knowledge, no measures followed, to avoid the catastrophe.