VIENNA, Nov. 14 -- Three inmates of Karlau penitentiary in the southern Austrian city of Graz seized three women canteen workers as hostages and wounded two prison guards Thursday, Austrian radio said. The prisoners -- two convicted of murder and one of robbery -- demanded money and a helicopter and then threatened to blow up the women with explosives if their demands were not met.
The women were taken hostage and bound by the three men early Thursday in the canteen, where prisoners are allowed to buy food and cigarettes once a week. According to unconfirmed reports, the women are bound with explosive material, the radio said. Two prison guards who attempted to intervene received knife wounds in the fracas. The case has been turned over to the Austrian Interior Ministry, which has begun to negotiate with the prisoners. Two of the prisoners are Austrian and the other Palestinian, the radio said.
