The Federal Army has apparently played a crucial role in preventing terror: According to Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP), foreign information first reached the army’s intelligence service. Only later was the information shared with the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN).
According to information from the APA, the Army Secret Service received relevant tips from two friendly foreign intelligence services. The American Secret Service is particularly mentioned here. As Nehammer confirmed on Thursday evening in “ZiB 2”, the information in the current case reached the civilian domestic secret service DSN via the Army Intelligence Office.
The army received information from two friendly military intelligence services abroad about ten to fourteen days ago. This information was said to be rather vague. Therefore, the army intelligence service investigated further and eventually handed over the results to the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, which took care of it further.
Completely separate departments
The work of the armed forces’ intelligence services is almost exclusively done outside the public eye, and media appearances are generally reserved. This secrecy is considered the main currency in the exchange of information with other intelligence services.
Since military intelligence services only communicate with other military services (and not civilian intelligence services), the Army Intelligence Office would never have been affected by the bad image of the Austrian secret service.
The DSN, on the other hand, first had to rebuild its reputation with other intelligence services. Why? Its predecessor, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the Fight against Terrorism (BVT), became increasingly isolated internationally after the scandals of recent years.
During raids under then Interior Minister Herbert Kickl (FPÖ), sensitive information is said to have fallen into the wrong hands, and since then foreign partner services have been reluctant to pass on information. As part of a 2021 reform, the BVT was reorganized as the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence.
North Macedonia wants to help
While another youth was arrested in Austria, there is also movement in North Macedonia. At the request of the Austrian authorities, the Ministry of the Interior of the Balkan country has started an investigation into the main suspect of the foiled terrorist attack in Vienna.
According to local media reports, the 19-year-old boy’s family comes from Gostivar, a city in the west of the country where the Albanian ethnic group mainly lives. It is currently unknown whether the Austrian-born young man also spent time in his parents’ home country.
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.
