Austrian officials say legal authorities recently turned back nine US soldiers en route to Ukraine from Washington after finding weapons in their luggage without the proper permits to transport them through Austria.
Col Michael Bauer, the Austrian military spokesman, said today the M16 rifles and small arms were found after the US servicemen had to rebook flights onward to Ukraine from Vienna, meaning they had to leave the transit area with their baggage.
Bauer says the incident occurred July 19. He says the Americans did not apply for proper transit permits for the arms.
State Prosecutor Karl Schober said his office is investigating the incident.
