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Kurz pays tribute to elite police officers: Austria closes radical mosques
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Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (left) and Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (both ÖVP) with the two Wega officials
Source: dpa / Arno Melicharek
Radical mosques in Austria are said to be closed after the attack in Vienna. Chancellor Kurz and his Interior Minister honored the two officials who arrested the killer.
northAfter the Islamist terrorist attack in Vienna with four dead, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP) honored the two policemen who arrested the attacker. The two Wega officials received the gold medal on the red ribbon for their services to the Republic of Austria, the so-called lifeguard medal.
“With their brave actions and putting their lives at risk, these two police officers disconnected the murderer during the attack on Monday and thus prevented worse things.” Kurz wrote about it on Twitter. Wega is a special unit of the Austrian police that is deployed mainly when there is increased danger.
On Friday, Culture Minister Susanne Raab and Interior Minister Karl Nehammer (both ÖVP) announced that they would close radical mosques in Austria in response to the attack. This is reported by the ORF and the OE24 portal, among others. This was ordered after a crisis meeting with the president of the Islamic Faith Community, Ümit Vural. It is about the withdrawal of legal personality and the dissolution of associations.
On Thursday, Kurz (ÖVP) called for more powers for the security forces. He told a special session of the Austrian Parliament that they need better management to deal with the threats. “Austrian authorities, from the judiciary to the police to protection of the constitution, do not always have the legal means to monitor Islamist extremists and other threats and, if necessary, keep them safe.
We know that about the murderer
The killer, who had Austrian and North Macedonian citizenship, was released early from prison in December, but on the condition that he complete a de-radicalization program. He had tried to travel to Syria as a supporter of the IS terrorist militia. In the summer, the Slovak authorities reported him to the Austrian police after trying to buy ammunition. It is unclear to what extent constitutional protection officials set their sights on the 20-year-old after his release.
“The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Fight against Terrorism has suffered massive damage in recent years for various reasons. Now we have to repair this damage, ”Kurz said. Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) announced that a commission of inquiry independent of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of the Interior should examine the details of the case.
The president of the opposition SPÖ, Pamela Rendi-Wagner, accused the conservative ÖVP in particular of dishonesty. “Four people have died, even though the agency had clear evidence that the terrorist posed a threat,” he said.
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