Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of the Directorate of the State Security and Intelligence (DNS), speaks in the “Krone” interview about the war in Ukraine, the fear of the black arms market, the terror threat from IS and social tensions.
„krone“: One crisis seems to haunt the other. How does the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence assess the security situation in Austria?
Omar Haijawi Pirchner: The pandemic appears to be intensifying and inflation is also having a long-term effect on internal security. Right-wing extremism is being strengthened by the war in Ukraine, Islamist terrorism is gaining importance again and disinformation is coming into the picture because of the federal presidential elections.
In the autumn, the next hotbed threatens with a possible energy crisis. Previously, opponents of corona measures took to the streets with tens of thousands. Is hatred on social media increasing and the DSN afraid of riots due to social tensions?
We don’t see any riots on the streets yet. But the hatred on the internet has clearly increased. Any crisis means that the despair of individuals can turn first into verbal actions and then into violence.
How many Austrians are involved in combat operations in Ukraine?
A low, two-digit number is known to the Bureau for the Protection of the Constitution.
In addition to the problem of returning foreign fighters, the European police force Europol warns that weapons supplied to Ukraine from the West end up on the criminal black market. How is the situation with us?
Those who have experienced violence are at risk when they return. The security issue concerns us and our international partners. We are committed to prevention and appropriate measures in advance so that the weapons do not end up in organized crime or terrorism.
Source: Krone
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