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“Yes, they deceived us,” emphasizes Andreas Zembaty, spokesman for the association to aid probation Neustart, who, together with the Derad association for the deradicalization of extremist criminals, dealt with the Viennese murderer Kujtim F. on behalf of power judicial.
As reported, the 20-year-old, who was arrested in Turkey in 2019 on his way to jihad in Syria and sentenced to 22 months in prison in Vienna, was released early from prison in December 2019. During his term of office three-year trial, took courses regularly, and spoke with his probation officer.
“F. never gave us the impression that he was in a life crisis, that he wanted to end his life with an assassination attempt. There was no proof of that,” says Zembaty. That was the deception. The fact that the probation officers had told him that he was Islamic or that he was harmless was completely wrong. “We carry out a risk analysis for each client and have classified them in the level with the greatest need of attention until the end,” emphasizes Zembaty.
Supervisors recall a conversation with F. after the terrorist attack in Paris, when a professor was beheaded by an Islamist in October this year. “But the Qur’an says …”, it is said that F. tried to put the murder of an “unbeliever” in perspective.
How big is the Islamist scene in this country? The Ministry of the Interior yesterday left an ON inquiry about the number of unanswered threats. Upper Austrian police said no information could be released at the moment. It reports the latest report on the protection of the constitution, from 2018. At that time there were 320 people from Austria who wanted to fight for the “Islamic State” in Syria and Iraq. 93 had returned to Austria, 62 were prevented from leaving. Of course, there are still more threats than the IS warriors who have returned or prevented from doing so that the constitutional protection report cites.
According to Zembaty, Neustart serves 50 people across the country who have received a suspended sentence or were released early for terrorist crimes. In Upper Austria, a man is cared for who is still in the Suben prison and awaits his release. The perpetrator was convicted of making slogans and expressions of sympathy for ISIS. The “case survey” is currently underway, Zembaty said.
General Director of Security Franz Ruf
Photo: APA / HANS PUNZ
Investigators looking for the “network behind the perpetrator”
At least as regards the course of events on Monday night, Home Secretary Karl Nehammer (VP) was able to give the go-ahead yesterday: After evaluating all the video material, it was confirmed that Kujtim F.
In addition, the first investigations show serious errors by the authorities when assessing the danger posed by the person convicted and released in early 2019 for joining a terrorist organization. Their attempt to buy ammunition in Slovakia this year was reported to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in July, but they apparently kept the information to themselves.
Nehammer and the director general of Public Security, Franz Ruf, provided more details on the measures taken since Monday. As reported, 18 home searches were conducted and 14 people were arrested. “They are between 18 and 28 years old and they all have an immigration background,” says Nehammer. Several of them are under investigation for “participation in a terrorist organization”. The Chairman of the Vienna State Police, Gerhard Prstl, reported on numerous “written documents and data carriers” which were secured and evaluated. There is also one convicted of terrorism, namely the man with whom the killer tried to travel to Syria in 2018.
Vienna Police Chief Gerhard Prstl
Photo: APA / HANS PUNZ
Two men who were in contact with the attacker and who were involved in terrorist proceedings were also arrested in Winterthur, Switzerland. Ruf also reported on the “exchange with another country.” Now it’s about “identifying the network behind the perpetrator,” Nehammer said.
Radicalization in mosque?
Yesterday it was not confirmed that the murderer could have radicalized in a Viennese mosque, where other well-known IS supporters were also staying. Ruf only gave details about his arrest history: Kujtim F., who had attended an HTL for two years after completing compulsory school, tried to travel to Afghanistan on August 22, 2018, but was detained for lack of a visa. Two weeks later he arrived in Turkey, where he was detained by the Turkish authorities before crossing the border into Syria. He was released on January 9, 2019 and arrested in Austria a day later as a “foreign terrorist fighter”. He was tried and sentenced to 22 months in prison, from which he was released in early December.
Police presence in Upper Austria continues to increase
“In the event of a terrorist situation, all Austrian police departments switch to the highest alert level. We have brought together all the forces that were available in Upper Austria ”, says the director of the state police Andreas Pilsl about the immediate effects of the terrorist attack in Vienna.
Officials in protective vests, helmets and long weapons were posted in front of the Linz synagogue and in front of the consulates on Monday night. “The Upper Austrian police will continue to be more present,” says Pilsl. It is customary to “back off” for a certain time after an attack.
On Tuesday morning, as reported, the killer’s tracks led from Vienna to Linzer Grtelstrae. A young man was arrested by order of the Vienna Prosecutor’s Office.
Meanwhile, it is clear that the detained person is officially known and is also at the scene where the Viennese murderer made a mistake. Returnees from jihad and also those who are trying to join the Islamic State are on the radar in Upper Austria, says the director of the state police. Thus, networks could be discovered “relatively quickly”.
Article of
Robert Stammler
Publisher’s country and people
