In a large-scale Austria-wide operation, state security agents took action against the right-wing extremist scene last Thursday. House searches have been carried out in all states, the Ministry of the Interior reports. The measures targeted ten people, who are accused of displaying banned Nazi propaganda in electronic and social media and hate speech. Weapons, ammunition, data carriers and Nazi memorabilia were seized
Under the direction of the Directorate of State Protection and Intelligence (DSN), house searches, interrogations and seizures were carried out on behalf of various public prosecutors.
Nazi memorabilia confiscated
These were directed against nine men and one woman. Investigators, supported by the state’s Constitutional Protection and Counter-Terrorism (LVT) Offices, the Special Forces Directorate and the local police, seized devotional items such as pennants, swastika flags, books, photographs and badges, among others.
Man arrested for endorsing Islamist attacks
One of the men was also arrested by the LVT Vienna on suspicion of condoning Islamist terrorist attacks based on an existing order from the public prosecutor’s office. The individual suspects had no substantive connection with each other, although nine investigations are still ongoing.
According to the DSN, investigations into Nazi propaganda on social media have increased significantly in recent times. The huge amounts of data would pose a major challenge for processing.
“Fight resolutely with the fight against extremism”
“The nationwide campaign shows that the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence is closely monitoring the scene and that the police are consistently continuing the fight against all forms of extremism,” emphasized Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). “Right-wing extremism threatens our democracy and our peaceful coexistence. It is all the more important that the judiciary and police act decisively here,” said Justice Minister Alma Zadic (Greens).
Source: Krone
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