The Afghan migrant suspected of being involved in raping and killing a teenage girl in Austria has had his extradition put on hold after he appealed against the move from London to Vienna.

The move will delay the extradition of Rasuili Zubaidullah, 23, to Austria for an indefinite period of time, according to Austrian officials.

Nina Bussek, a spokeswoman for the state prosecution in Vienna, said: “The suspect has appealed the decision. We haven’t got any further information on developments on this from London.”

A court in London initially gave the green light to extradite Rasuili Zubaidullah, 23, three and a half weeks ago. He is one of four men aged between 16 and 23 facing charges over the violent attack and murder.

Leonie Wallner, 13, met the youngest suspect at Vienna’s Donaukanal, a branch of the Danube and popular meeting point for young people, on 25th June last year. She was then offered ecstasy pills by the 16-year-old Afghan migrant.

The group of men, who all came to Austria as migrants from Afghanistan, are jointly suspected of responsibility for drugging and raping Leonie in a flat in Donaustadt, a remote suburban district of the Austrian capital Vienna, later the same night.

They tried to bring her back to life by making her drink milk and yoghurt before showering her with cold water after she showed no vital signals.

The group eventually wrapped a carpet around the body, leant it against a tree just outside the apartment, and fled. Locals discovered the body the next morning.

The other suspects are in custody in Vienna awaiting charges. They were arrested shortly after the crime, but Zubaidullah fled to the UK. He was arrested at the Ibis hotel in Whitechapel, East London, in July.