The head of the association is a 20-year-old North Macedonian who is now serving a five-year prison sentence. Eight other members between the ages of 13 and 15 were recruited for IS, it was said at a police press conference on Tuesday. The investigators also managed to strike a blow against the right-wing extremist milieu.
The 20-year-old from North Macedonia was already noticed in 2023 with several IS graffiti around the St. Pölten main train station. As a result, the man became known as the “IS sprayer from St. Pölten,” said Roland Scherscher, head of the State Office for State Security and Combating Extremism (LSE) in Lower Austria, at the press conference in St. Pölten. At the regional court in Lower Austria’s capital, the young man was sentenced to several months in prison in the summer of 2023 for supporting a terrorist organization and damaging property. Shortly after his release from prison in November of the previous year, the 20-year-old is believed to have recruited young people in St. Pölten for IS and also indoctrinated Hamas‘ attack on Israel as having religious legitimacy. “There were different meeting points,” described Scherscher. Concerned parents initiated further investigations by the LSE Lower Austria.
The young people spread numerous IS combat nasheeds and videos – all apparently with the intention of recruiting more members for the terrorist militia. Anti-Semitic propaganda was also carried out for Hamas and against Israel. “The information was exchanged primarily via cell phones and the Internet,” emphasized Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) at the press conference. At the beginning of October, the 20-year-old suspect in St. Pölten was not legally sentenced to five years in prison. He had been accused of membership in a terrorist organization.
15 year old as a recruiter
A 15-year-old Austrian with a migrant background who was recruited by the North Macedonian had meanwhile become a recruiter for IS himself. He is also said to have taken a vow of loyalty to IS via video. On Tuesday of the previous week, the St. Pölten regional court gave the young person a one-year probation because of membership in a terrorist organization. Two other 15-year-olds also received judicial sentences (six months conditional or 21 months partially conditional, both legally binding); in the remaining cases, the investigations are ongoing.
The investigation was discontinued due to a lack of criminal responsibility against a 13-year-old North Macedonian. A weapons ban was imposed on all accused. A 20-year-old Syrian living in Vienna also had contact with the head of the St. Pölten IS network, who is said to have tried to rape a 17-year-old Hungarian woman in Biedermannsdorf (Mödling district) on March 18th. Extensive IS propaganda material was also found on the asylum seeker who did not confess, emphasized State Police Director Franz Popp at the press conference. The accused has been in custody in Wiener Neustadt since August. “The victim suffered injuries and a slight shock as a result of the crime,” said Scherscher.
This is how people became aware
Based on a 54-year-old from the Melk district, the LSE Lower Austria also became aware of a group of so-called weapons collectors with at least sympathies towards National Socialism. Eight other suspects between the ages of 26 and 54 were investigated in the Melk and Zwettl districts. During house searches, numerous Nazi memorabilia, war material, illegal firearms and prohibited weapons, large quantities of ammunition and hand grenades, some of which were self-made, were seized.
The 54-year-old, who is believed to have been part of the neo-Nazi People’s Faithful Extra-Parliamentary Opposition (VAPO) in the past and is also said to have indoctrinated his three own children with Nazi ideology, was arrested in St. Pölten in May for violations of the Prohibition and Weapons Act sentenced to six months conditionally. The guilty verdict is legally binding. Scherscher reported that, starting with the 54-year-old, “around 100 defendants” were reported for violations of the Prohibition and Weapons Act.
The investigations against the man from the Melk district were also the starting point for the operation coordinated by the State Security on September 25th against a right-wing extremist network that is suspected of operating an illegal trade in Nazi memorabilia. The LSE also came across a group of “so-called gun nuts” in St. Pölten, according to Interior Minister Karner. According to Scherscher, ten suspects were investigated and reported. During house searches, illegal firearms, a machine gun, handguns and long guns, prohibited weapons, silencers, a telescopic baton, prohibited magazines, bayonets, a crossbow and 2,253 pieces of ammunition were seized in this case. A weapons ban was imposed on seven accused.
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