New twist in Kampusch case

2009-11-07 22:09

Vienna - The case of a woman kidnapped at age 10 and held prisoner for eight years could take a new turn, as the Austrian prosecutor confirmed on Saturday that there was a second suspect besides the initial abductor.

Natascha Kampusch, 21, has maintained that Wolfgang Priklopil acted alone in abducting her at the age of 10 and keeping her in his cellar in his home near Vienna. He killed himself on the day in August 2006 when Kampusch managed to escape.

Prosecutor Thomas Muehlbacher confirmed a report by the daily Die Presse that Priklopil's close friend Ernst Holzapfel was now also under investigation. "He is suspected of having been involved in the abduction," said Muehlbacher, who is based in the town of Graz.

Holzapfel has publicly admitted that he had once met Kampusch when she and Priklopil visited him at his construction company, but said he was unaware that she was the missing girl.

Austrian authorities have also asked German prosecutors to help secure evidence in the case, which two German citizens claim to possess, Muehlbacher said.

- SAPA