Austria tightens border for Euros

Austria is allowed to re-impose controls for national security

Austria has re-imposed border controls as part of a major security operation for the European football Championship, which starts on Saturday.

Co-hosts Austria and Switzerland are expecting an invasion of five million fans for the tournament.

Austria is part of the European Union's passport-free Schengen travel zone.

But it is re-imposing controls at its borders with Germany, Italy, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic for the duration of the event.

Schengen rules allow member-states to re-impose restrictions temporarily for national security reasons.

Officials from more than 18 European nations will assist Austrian security forces as they try to intercept any known hooligans who may be attempting to travel to the tournament.

Meanwhile, two Austrian air force fighters engaged a small private jet in a mock chase over Vienna on Monday, as a training exercise ahead of the tournament, the defence ministry said.

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