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Explosion in Baumgarten not a terrorist attack - domestic intelligence service

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism noted that even signs of a possible terrorist plot are ruled out with high probability

VIENNA, December 12. /TASS/. The explosion on the gas hub near Baumgarten an der March (Lower Austria) was not a terrorist attack and is connected with a technical malfunction, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism (an Austrian intelligence agency) reported Tuesday.

"Currently there are no signs of a deliberate attack or any planned act," the report said.

"Even signs of a possible terrorist plot are ruled out with high probability," the intelligence agency said.

The explosion on the territory of a gas distribution station of Austria’s OMV near Baumgarten an der March because of a technical malfunction earlier on Tuesday resulted in a major fire and complete stoppage of gas transportation over this gas pipeline. The affected gas terminal distributes gas delivered from Russia and Norway to Germany, Italy, France, Slovenia, Croatia, and Hungary. One third of Russian gas exports to Europe run through Baumgarten an der March.