State security is being reorganized at the state and regional level. The former National Bureaus for Constitutional Protection and Counterterrorism (LVT) will become National Bureaus for State Security and Combating Extremism (LSE), will be given additional tasks and will be better equipped in terms of personnel and technology. The cornerstones of the reform were presented on Tuesday.
In the field of constitutional protection and counter-terrorism, “professionalisation of police work” is needed, said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). It is about “the fight against all forms of extremism”, the reported crimes are at a higher level than before the pandemic. In particular, the far-right scene and state objectors have used, even abused, demonstrations against the corona measures “for their own purposes”. In the right-wing extremist area alone, 660 people were reported last year, more than 100 house searches were made and 37 arrests were made, Karner referred to current figures.
terrorists “smuggled in”
The head of the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence (DSN), Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, also pointed to the danger posed by Islamist extremism. After the pandemic ended, groups would regroup. People from the Middle East would be smuggled in “undercover” and attacks in Europe would be planned again. According to Haijawi-Pirchner, one should assume “concrete plans of attack”, but there are currently no such preparations for Austria. Extremists are observed in exchanges with European partners, the DSN director emphasized.
The Interior Minister, the Director General of Public Security, Franz Ruf, and Haijawi-Pirchner want to counter these dangers with reforms in the states. The state guards must be given additional powers and set new investigative priorities. Specifically, research rooms for cyberspace and cyberforensics will be set up in every state office in the future, especially as extremism spreads and especially digitally gains popularity. Special attention is paid to prevention, specially trained officials must provide education and information in schools and clubs.
“Eyes and Ears of the Protection of the Constitution”
In addition, so-called state security sensors are planned, which Karner described as “the eyes and ears of the protection of the Constitution from Lake Constance to Lake Neusiedl”. These mostly uniformed and specially trained police officers are supposed to network at the regional level, relay information to state and federal authorities, and thus “modernize and further develop the protective shield” at the regional and state level in the field of state security and against terrorism, according to Karner. The news service remains central to the DSN.
The future LSE will receive “extra posts”, Ruf announced. Top officials didn’t say exactly how many, but the posts are included in the 4,200 additional posts planned at the Interior Ministry, Interior Secretary Karner added. Hazard and risk management will also be reviewed and a “high-quality risk assessment” should be made, Ruf stressed.
Posts are advertised again
The regional state security reform should be completed by early 2024, although the previous LVT administrators will not be automatically taken over. There will be a tendering procedure for the management of the relevant LSE. The implementation of the reform process has already begun, the Interior Minister concluded.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
