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Terror researcher Nicolas Stockhammer from the University of Vienna explains why Austria has become the target of an Islamist attack. The federal intelligence service also assumes a greater threat to Switzerland.
Vienna has been hit by an Islamist attack.
Mr. Stockhammer, how do you rate the attack in Vienna?
I see the events in the context of the previous attacks in Paris, Dresden and Nice. A reference to the “Charlie Hebdo” cartoons is obvious. There is also a post on social media in which the alleged murderer expresses his sympathy for the Islamic State. That speaks for the jihadist background. There is also some evidence that the attack was not just the work of one individual, but provided guidance or logistical support. Several accomplices are also being sought.
Do you see any parallels with previous attacks?
The procedure is similar to that of the Bataclan attacks in Paris in 2015, but also the attacks in Brussels in 2016 and Mumbai in 2008. It looks like simultaneous coordinated attacks with several teams. This scheme also indicates the jihadist background.
Are you surprised that Austria has also been affected?
In expert circles it was always a topic that Vienna or Graz might also be attacked one day. There is also an Islamist scene there. At the same time, Vienna is an easy target for terrorists. There is not as strong a police presence there as anywhere else. Additionally, Vienna may also have some appeal to terrorists as the headquarters of various international organizations.
How dangerous is the local Islamist scene?
The scene, of course, is under continuous surveillance. With around 320 jihad travelers, Austria ranks fourth in Europe in terms of population. Up to 100 people have also returned, some of them highly radicalized. However, it is not likely that the current attack originated here, but came from outside.
Do we have to wait for more attacks?
We will have to expect more attacks in Europe. Perhaps the pandemic with closed closures can also help calm the situation when public space is less frequented. In the attack in Vienna, the attackers attacked the last night before new restrictions. The sometimes relatively spotty implementation could even be an indication that the plan was implemented earlier than originally planned due to the new measures.
No evidence of attack plans in Switzerland
(sda) The Federal Intelligence Service (NDB) has confirmed its assessment of the dangerous situation after the terrorist attacks in Vienna and Nice. The terrorist threat in Switzerland continues to grow. The NDB announced this Tuesday at the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency. However, there are currently no indications of specific attack plans in Switzerland. According to the NDB, attacks on so-called “soft targets” such as transportation facilities and crowds with little organizational and logistical effort are currently the most likely. Individual offenders are in the foreground.
The threat of terrorism in Switzerland has increased since 2015. “It is made up mainly of jihadist actors, especially supporters of the Islamic State,” continues the FIS. Switzerland belongs to the Western world, classified by jihadists as Islamophobic, and from their point of view it is, therefore, a legitimate target of terrorist attacks.
However, according to the FIS assessment, other countries besides Switzerland are at the forefront in terms of threat situation. This assessment is based on an assessment of the jihadist propaganda, as well as the attacks that have taken place and have been thwarted.
