Due to the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and the attack in Brussels, the government has raised the security alert level in Austria to the second highest level. In particular, the lone perpetrators and threats who are now further radicalizing themselves through images and videos from Gaza on social media are causing headaches for the security authorities.
Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, director of the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence (DSN), cited a “significant number of threats in Austria” as the reason for raising the terror alert level in Austria.
Due to the recent escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and the terrorist attack in Brussels, security authorities also see a “concrete threat situation and an increased risk of an attack” in Austria. As Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) announced on Wednesday, the terror warning is therefore raised to the second highest level. The ‘elevated’ warning level has been in force in Austria since March 2022.
Images ‘trigger’ dangerous people
According to DSN boss Haijawi-Pirchner, the deterioration of the situation in Gaza and the distribution of photos and videos thereof on social media would lead to further radicalization. “Because threats can be influenced ideologically, we have come to the conclusion that the security problem must be increased,” he said on Wednesday at a joint press conference with Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) and the Viennese military commander Kurt Wagner.
The risk is “clearly visible in individual perpetrators”. People who radicalize themselves online. People who are triggered by images from Gaza. Digital media is currently used to exchange ideas and “spread radicalization.” And: “There will also be other threats,” says Haijawi-Pichner.
Cobra, WEGA and SIG
In concrete terms, raising the terror alert level means a stronger and visible presence of the armed forces and the executive branch. Up to 190 federal army soldiers, mainly military police, will be deployed for space and property protection measures, mainly in Vienna.
Cobra, WEGA and rapid intervention groups (SIG) will also be deployed in a wide variety of locations and locations, “simply to ensure the sense of security of the population throughout Austria,” Karner said.
Source: Krone
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