The public prosecutor has filed terrorism charges against two teenagers from Salzburg (17, 19) because they shared the propaganda of Islamist terrorists in a chat group. In the jury room they showed insight. Now they are being deradicalized.
Both defendants were born here in Austria and went to school there. Both still live with their parents and are currently doing an internship. Both are Muslims with similar roots: the 19-year-old has a Bosnian migration background, the 17-year-old a Chechen. And both were in a Telegram group with another friend who discussed Islamic propaganda from the terrorist group “Islamic State” (IS).
Unambiguous text passages
Above all, the two friends and another peer sent each other photos, videos, messages and, above all, fight songs. “Kill the infidels” or “Fight for our faith,” the prosecutor quoted unmistakable text passages from the shared songs and spoke during the trial on Wednesday about the insidious IS propaganda, which is mainly aimed at young people.
At first it was funny…
The defendants now know this, as they heard: “I am also the enemy of IS, they would kill me,” the 19-year-old emphasized in the jury room. He also listened to the fight songs more for the sound, not for the content: ‘I didn’t have them on loop all the time either.’ The 19-year-old does not want to know that he downloaded 17 such songs directly from the media site of a terrorist group.
“It all started with funny memes,” the 17-year-old explained afterwards. At first they joked about it. But at some point it became normal. “If you hear a song like that ten times, it becomes normal.” In any case, the Public Prosecution Service made him think: “I’m done with this subject.”
Both young people were given a second chance in the form of a non-legal diversion: they will be supervised by a probation officer for the next three years and must also follow a deradicalization program.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
