Islamist Extremism
According to Europol’s 2018 Terrorism Situation and Trend Report, EU Member States reported 33 jihadist terrorist attacks in 2017, more than double the figure of 2016. Most attacks occurred in the United Kingdom and France. As in recent years, Austria has been spared by jihadist terrorist attacks. However, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz und Terrorismusbekämpfung or BVT) reiterated in its 2018 annual report that “Islamist extremism—and Jihadist terrorism in particular—has been a permanent and currently the largest threat potential for liberal-democratic societies.” Austria has focused its counterterrorism and counter-extremism efforts on terrorist organizations such as ISIS and al-Qaeda, as well as smaller groups affiliated with or inspired by them. Recent attacks in Europe have also demonstrated the critical threat posed by so-called lone wolves, individuals who only ideologically identify with jihadist groups without being directly associated with them. (Sources: BVT, Europol)
While there is no prominent homegrown Islamist group in Austria, international groups such as ISIS and Hamas have received support from some Austrian Muslims. In June 2014, several Austrian ISIS sympathizers posted photos of messages of support to social media. One message reportedly read, “one billion Muslims support the Islamic State.” In August 2014, Austrian news sources reported that a group of Austrian Muslims had set up an ISIS “fan club” that was likely operating out of a Viennese apartment. The fan club consisted of youth from the Viennese districts of Floridsdorf and Donaustadt and also had an online presence. The fan club’s Facebook page had 288 “friends” with some members from Chechnya or Afghanistan. The club offered T-shirts with “terrorist messages” in Arabic, as well as camouflage hats embellished with ISIS’s logo. (Sources: The Local, Gatestone Institute, Kurier, Heute, Profil)
According to its 2018 annual report, the BVT remained concerned about jihadist extremist networks in the Western Balkans. Such networks could potentially pose a threat to Austria’s national security due to their geographic proximity and the substantial number of Bosnian and Serbian minorities living in Austria. (Source: BVT)
Until his arrest in December 2014 by Austrian authorities, the Bosnian-Austrian terrorist Mirsad Omerovic (a.k.a. Ebu Tejma) reportedly kept a direct line of communication with ISIS caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Within Austria, Tejma reportedly led what Bosnian newspapers described as a “Bosnian [terror] cell” in Vienna that was one of the most important logistic and financial support centers for jihadist activities in Europe.” Through the cell, Tejma is believed to have raised money for ISIS and radicalized and recruited at least 166 youth who left Austria to fight in Syria. On July 14, 2016, Tejma was convicted of being a member of a terrorist organization and recruiting young volunteers for ISIS. He denied all charges but was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison. In February 2018, the Higher Regional Court in Graz dismissed his appeal. (Sources: The Local, NY Daily News, The Mirror, Balkan Insight, Kosmo)
Like much of the rest of the European Union, Austria has designated only Hezbollah’s so-called military wing as a terrorist organization, though Hezbollah itself admits there is no difference between its military and political wings. In March 2020, authorities in the Austrian state of Carinthia began legal proceedings against a Hezbollah commander who had lived in Austria for 13 years while providing financial aid to the terror group, which is based in Lebanon. According to the indictment against him, the commander was a member of a terrorist organization and had engaged in terrorism financing. The commander’s identity was not publicly released, but Austrian media reported that he was not being held in custody while awaiting the start of his trial. In response to the start of the trial, all of Austria’s political parties passed a joint resolution in the federal parliament entitled “Effective action against Hezbollah.” The resolution called on Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz to “to take suitable and effective measures to continue to take decisive action against terrorist and criminal activities by Hezbollah supporters in Austria using the entire rule of law; to prevent Hezbollah from being financed through money laundering activities; to re-asses the question of how to deal with Hezbollah within the European Union.” (Sources: Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post)
Nonetheless, the resolution did not call on Kurz’s government to recognize Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization. On March 10, 2020, the parliament rejected a call from the NEOS party to consider a full ban of Hezbollah. On May 29, 2020, members of the governing coalition in parliament issued a resolution calling Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s administration to advocate for the European Union to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization. The resolution received unanimous support in the parliament, though the opposition party NEOS (The New Austria and Liberal Forum) issued its own resolution criticizing the Austrian government for not following Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom in designating Hezbollah as a whole. (Sources: Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post, Jerusalem Post)
Recruitment
Jihadist organizations—particularly ISIS and al-Qaeda—have been able to spread their ideologies in Austria, a process largely facilitated by social media and migration towards Europe. Austrian authorities are also concerned about informal Islamic groups, in particular those that subscribe to a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam or promote Salafist principles, that are isolated from typical mosque activities. In 2017, the BVT also observed that a growing number of asylum seekers joined Salafist groups in Austria. (Source: BVT)
The True Religion (Die Wahre Religion or DWR), an Islamist Salafi organization founded by Ibrahim Abou Nagie, has disseminated propaganda and proselytized in Austrian cities as part of their missionary work or “street dawa.” The group is comprised of a network of mainly German Salafist preachers, who launched the “Lies! Read!” initiative in 2011, in which DWR members set up booths and handed out Qurans in Muslim-majority areas in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Following Germany’s decision to ban DWR in October 2016, Austria’s far-right Freedom Party pushed for similar legislation, but the Austrian Parliament rejected the motion to ban the “Lies! Read!” campaign. Ultimately, in March 2017, Austria adopted a ban on the distribution of Qurans in public spaces and, in May 2017, amended its road traffic regulations to require official permits for public demonstrations and promotional activities. (Sources: Austrian Parliament, Die Freie Welt, Wiener Zeitung, Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, Wiener Zeitung, BVT)
DWR did not make any public appearances or demonstrations in Austria in 2017, but new Salafist organizations like “Imam” in Vienna and “Fitrah” in Graz have surfaced. Both groups engage in “street dawa” and disseminate videos, pictures, and articles about their activities on social media to expand their reach to those located outside the cities of Vienna and Graz, respectively. “Imam” and “Fitrah” publicly renounce violence, but the BVT is concerned that both groups “provide the breeding ground for radicalization and recruitment of new followers through systematic indoctrination.” In fact, the BVT believes that these groups’ public denunciation of violence is part of their strategy to avoid government surveillance or criminal prosecution. (Source: BVT)
Foreign Fighters
By the end of 2018, Austrian authorities were aware of 320 Austrian citizens who had actively participated or attempted to participate in fighting alongside extremists in Iraq and Syria. Of those, approximately 58 died in the Middle East while 93 returned to Austria. The 2018 figure of 320 represented an increase of seven since 2017. Authorities also successfully prevented 62 individuals from leaving the country, including at least 22 women. As of August 2017, Austria imprisoned 64 foreign fighters—20 percent of whom are between the ages of 16 and 21. Austria’s foreign fighters were predominantly second-generation immigrants from Chechnya, Turkey, and the Balkans with ages ranging between 18 and 35. The BVT registered no travel attempts in late-2017 due to various factors, including ISIS’s loss of territory and reputational damage, as well as Austria’s intensified efforts to interdict attempted foreign fighters. Rather, in its 2018 annual report, the BVT expressed concern about the threat of returnees and individuals who were prevented from leaving Austria. (Sources: Associated Press, BVT, International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, U.S. Department of State)
One of Austria’s most notorious jihadists, Firas Houidi (a.k.a. Firas Abdullah II), left for Syria in early 2014. Before departing, the 19-year old Tunisian-Austrian wrote on his Facebook profile: “To the intelligence agent who may be reading this: Either you kill us or we continue, until the heads fly.” After joining ISIS, Houidi posted on Facebook a photo of an artillery shell in a box ready to be shipped to the Austrian secret service. In another online post, Houidi wrote that Austrian Muslims should “wage jihad” in Austria if they are unable to come to Syria to fight. Numerous Austrian media outlets reported that Interpol had issued an international arrest warrant for Houidi. However, the listing later appeared defunct. Houidi was reportedly killed in Syria in February 2015, but Austrian authorities did not confirm. (Sources: The Local, Heute, Gatestone Institute, The Local)
In April 2014, Austrian teenagers Sabina Selimovic, 15, and Samra Kesinovic, 16, traveled to Syria to join and marry ISIS fighters. Both of Bosnian descent, the girls were recruited through a cell in Austria led by Ebu Tejma. After joining ISIS, the girls posted photos of themselves holding Kalashnikov rifles. In some photos, the girls are surrounded by armed men. Rumors surfaced that they were pregnant. Reports in December 2015 alleged that Kesinovic was forced into sexual slavery before being beaten to death for attempting to leave ISIS. The girls were dubbed “ISIS poster girls” as they had previously used social media to advertise enrollment in the terror group. (Sources: International Business Times, Daily Mail)
Sabina Selimovic conducted an interview via text message with French magazine Paris Match in October 2014. Sabina told Paris Match that she felt “free” in the so-called Islamic State. “[Here] I can practice my religion… In Vienna I couldn’t.” Austrian authorities believe Sabina was held at gun-point throughout the interview. Sabina was reportedly killed during fighting in Raqqa in late-2014. In December 2018, Sabina’s mother filed a lawsuit against the Austrian government, accusing Austria’s border guards of failing to stop the girls from leaving. (Sources: Daily News, Daily News, Mirror UK, International Business Times, Daily News, Mirror UK, Al Arabiya, Haaretz, Modern Diplomacy, News.co.au)
Austrian jihadist Mohamed Mahmoud (a.k.a. Abu Usama al-Gharib) was jailed in Austria between 2007 and 2011 for his membership in the Global Islamic Media Forum (GIMF), a propaganda arm that disseminates al-Qaeda multimedia content. He was arrested in Turkey in March 2014, most likely on his way to Syria. Mahmoud was eventually released, a move that German jihadism pundit Guido Steinberg called “completely irresponsible.” In November 2014, Mahmoud appeared in a photograph posing in front of decapitated, half-naked corpses. The photo was purportedly taken in Raqqa, Syria. He reportedly married ISIS propagandist Ahlam al-Nasr known as the “poetess of the Islamic State.” On November 28, 2018, Mahmoud was reportedly killed in a coalition airstrike in Syria. (Sources: Combating Terrorism Center, The Local, BBC Monitoring, Heute, Business Insider)
Far-Right Extremism
In 2017, Austria registered a total of 1,063 right-wing extremist, xenophobic, racist, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic criminal acts. The figure represents a decrease by 19 percent compared to 2016. However, attacks directed against Muslims, asylum seekers, and associated institutions persisted. The migration influx into Europe has resulted in increased xenophobic sentiments, which have gradually fueled far-right extremism in Austria. The anti-Islamophobia organization Dokustelle recorded 540 Islamophobic attacks in Austria in 2018, a 74 percent increase from the 309 attacks in 2017. Approximately 53 percent of the incidents were online, according to the group’s Anti-Muslim Racism Report 2018. (Sources: Europol, BVT, Anadolu Agency)
The Austrian government has struggled to address far-right movements since the ascent of the far-right Freedom Party Austria (FPÖ) in October 2017’s parliamentary elections. The Freedom Party took control of the country’s Interior Ministry, reportedly hindering government efforts to monitor far-right extremists. In June 2018, the government announced plans to close seven mosques and expel 60 imams on what it called national security concerns. The government cited a 2015 law banning foreign funding of religious institutions and requiring Muslim organizations to hold “positive fundamental view towards” Austrian “state and society.” Critics condemned the ruling as Islamophobic. In September 2019 elections, the Freedom Party shrank from being Austria’s second largest party to the country’s third largest after party leader Heinz-Christian Strache was filmed offering to fix government contracts at a dinner party. The FPÖ expelled Strache in December 2019. (Sources: New York Times, Slate, Vox, Reuters, Reuters, Reuters)
New far-right groups like the Identitarian Movement Austria (Identitäre Bewegung Österreich or IB), whose rhetoric focuses on the perceived fear of the “Islamization” of Western societies, have increased in popularity. While the far-right scene has traditionally been dominated by men, the IB and other similar groups have increasing appeal to women. These women participate in protest and outreach activities in order to help mainstream the group’s right-wing attitudes. Social media remains the most important propaganda, networking, and recruitment tool for the far-right. Notably, IB leader Martin Sellner maintains active YouTube and Twitter channels. Sellner’s YouTube channel has more than 89,000 subscribers and his Twitter account more than 30,000 followers as of March 2019. (Sources: Europol, YouTube, BVT, Twitter)
The IB has organized multinational campaigns. In 2017, IB members from Austria, Italy, France, and Germany participated in the Defend Europe campaign in the Mediterranean Sea. The far-right activists chartered a boat and attempted to block search and rescue vessels from rescuing refugees. The campaign was financed via crowdfunding sites and donations. The IB ended its mission after a week and promoted it as a success on their social media platforms despite significant logistical and technical setbacks. (Sources: Europol, BVT, Independent)
However, an Austrian counter-extremism counseling center assessed in December 2018 that although far-right extremism is a popular topic in youth social services, the IB does not appear to be particularly relevant. According to their survey, only nine out of 204 youth services organizations noted that young people sympathize with the IB. (Source: Beratungsstelle Extremismus)
Reich Citizen Movement
Austria’s Reich Citizens fundamentally reject the legitimacy and sovereignty of the established government and its existing legal system. Reich Citizen groups have different organizational structures and public outreach strategies, but share the common objective of building state-like parallel structures to end what they perceive as oppression by the Austrian government. (Sources: Zeit Online, BVT)
Austrian Reich Citizen group, the Federation of States of Austria (Staatenbund Österreich), was founded in 2015 by its self-proclaimed president Monika Unger. The group reportedly has approximately 3,600 registered members. The group indoctrinates and recruits members through so-called “legal expertise” seminars where participants discuss the illegitimacy of the Austrian Constitution, the rejection of government authorities, and the opportunity to evade taxes and other civic duties. In addition to pay membership and participation fees, members also pay several hundred euros for new identification and legal documents, including license plates, business trading licenses, property registry, and diplomatic passports. According to the BVT’s assessment, the Federation of States of Austria has established a profitable business model through this payment and services structure. (Sources: Zeit Online, BVT, Steiermark ORF, Profil)
On January 25, 2019, an Austrian court sentenced Unger and her deputy—a retired police officer—to 14 and 10 years in prison, respectively, for inciting high treason. Twelve other members received prison sentences between nine months and three years for serious fraud and coercion. Unger and her co-conspirators were arrested in April 2017 after attempting to overthrow the government. (Sources: Zeit Online, BVT, Steiermark ORF, Profil, Wiener Zeitung, Deutsche Welle)
Far-Left Extremism
According to the BVT’s 2018 annual report, Austria recorded a total of 211 criminal acts with proven or suspected left-wing extremist motivation, a decrease of 45 percent compared to 2016. Autonomous anarchist groups are most active among Austria’s far-left extremists. Their anti-fascist activities, rallies, and protests repeatedly result in vandalism and violent riots. Primary targets are typically events organized by right-wing groups as well as the annual Wiener Akademiker Ball, a ball in Vienna for right-wing fraternities. Nonetheless, Austria’s leftist extremist networks are based on contacts between individual persons and not considered stable or structured connections. (Source: BVT)