2024-09-10 10:06:50
On Tuesday, the Vienna Regional Court heard a case against a 16-year-old Muslim woman and her ex-boyfriend separately. According to the indictment, they represented and spread the ideas of the radical Islamic terrorist militia “Islamic State” (IS). The young woman had made her own cloth bags with the IS logo. “She took them out to Praterstern wearing a full veil and was stopped by the police because of this,” reported the public prosecutor.
When analyzing the defendant’s cell phone, the investigators from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution came across a wealth of relevant files that demonstrated her radical religious beliefs. Thematically, the young woman devoted herself primarily to jihad and martyrdom, distributing sermons by the German Salafist Denis Mamadou Gerhard Cuspert, an IS execution video and a collection of nasheeds (battle chants) glorifying jihad via TikTok and WhatsApp. Although the woman, who was registered as a job seeker with the AMS, had already been charged with terrorist association (§278b StGB) and criminal organization (§278a StGB), she again acted as a propagandist for the terrorist militia from June 2024 until well into August, using two Telegram accounts for this purpose, according to the indictment. “She shared two videos related to jihad for everyone to see,” said the prosecutor.
Files of local IS bigwigs were also stored on the cell phone, including material from the hate preacher Mirsad O. alias Ebu Tejma, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Mohamed Mahmoud, who died in Syria and had himself filmed killing IS hostages, and the Vienna attacker who killed four people in the city center on November 2, 2020 in the name of IS before being shot dead by the police.
The defendant, who appeared at the trial wearing a headscarf and a veil that reached down to her waist, made a confession before a panel of lay judges. Her defense attorney emphasized that she came from “a traditional Austrian family,” was born in Lower Austria, and had no connection to Islam before she converted. One of the reasons for this may have been the abuse that the defendant suffered when she was twelve years old. “The traumatic event threw her off track. She turned to Islam, where you can cover yourself and protect yourself,” explained the defense attorney.
The legal representative also pointed out that the 16-year-old is intellectually under-gifted. She has an IQ of 65, attended a special school and is “easily influenced”. She had allowed herself to be led “by the wrong people”: “The question is how to get her out of the sect (meaning: the IS, ed.).” The defendant is now “only connected to her mother and MA 11” via WhatsApp.
At the same time, the regional court one floor up was hearing the case against the 16-year-old’s ex-boyfriend, who was also accused of being a terrorist group and criminal organization. The 19-year-old is said to have published IS propaganda material from 2022 to April 2023 and even tried to persuade a Chechen acquaintance to travel with him to Syria to join IS there. In October 2023, he is said to have traveled to Frankfurt with his then girlfriend, where he met two acquaintances who subsequently made their way to Syria. The 19-year-old had originally had that in mind, the prosecutor emphasized: “But then he got scared and had his father pick him up.”
The room of the 19-year-old, who was registered with his father, was decorated with IS flags, the prosecutor said. The public prosecutor had previously had the young man examined by a psychiatrist, especially since he was “in early retirement” for psychological reasons, as the public prosecutor explained. The report showed that the defendant has a severe anxiety disorder, suffers from ADHD and has an IQ of 81. The expert classified the man as sane and therefore criminally responsible, but emphasized his reduced ability to make decisions.
The 19-year-old pleaded “not guilty” and claimed that he had never had anything to do with IS. He had only wanted to please his ex-girlfriend. “She was my first girlfriend. She said that she had converted. I don’t know much about it. I wanted to impress her that I could have a relationship with her,” sobbed the 19-year-old. During his interrogation, he repeatedly burst into fits of tears: “She complimented me. I grew a beard because she thought it was appropriate. I felt flattered.” For her sake, he had also decorated his room with IS flags: “She wanted me to hang them up.”
The boy’s defense attorney claimed that the account used in the case, which was used to spread IS propaganda, was not used by his client. He had made it available to the 16-year-old. He did not travel to Frankfurt for religious-Islamist reasons. He wanted to visit friends there whom he had met through online gaming.
“She was strictly religious,” the defense attorney described the 19-year-old’s ex-girlfriend. During the relationship, he actually wanted to go out and dance in clubs. She did not allow that: “She said he should be more interested in religion.” He complied: “He did not want to lose his girlfriend.” It was “actually a love story that did not end well,” the attorney claimed.
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Table of Contents
Teenage Extremism: The Alarming Rise of Young Recruits to Terrorist Groups
In recent years, terrorist organizations such as the Islamic State (IS) have been known to recruit and exploit children and teenagers to further their extremist ideologies. This trend is alarming and disturbing, as it not only endangers the lives of these young individuals but also perpetuates a cycle of violence and hatred.
A recent case in Vienna highlights the concern. A 16-year-old Muslim woman and her 19-year-old ex-boyfriend were arrested and charged with spreading IS propaganda and glorifying jihad. The young woman had created her own cloth bags with the IS logo and distributed sermons and execution videos via social media. Her ex-boyfriend was accused of publishing IS propaganda material and attempting to persuade a Chechen acquaintance to travel to Syria to join IS.
The case is not an isolated incident. According to a handbook by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) [1], terrorist groups such as IS have been known to recruit children as young as 14 years old. In 2015, a 14-year-old British national and an 18-year-old Australian were among those recruited by IS.
In another recent case, a 16-year-old boy in Sydney was charged with terrorism offenses after allegedly stabbing a bishop at a church [2]. The boy was denied bail due to fears for community safety, and a court heard that he had messaged another young person about killing [3].
What drives these young individuals to extremist ideologies? In many cases, it is a complex interplay of factors, including psychological vulnerabilities, social isolation, and a search for identity and belonging. The Vienna case highlights the role of trauma and abuse in the radicalization of the 16-year-old girl. Her defense attorney argued that she had been “thrown off track” by the traumatic event and had turned to Islam as a way to cope.
The case also raises important questions about the role of social media in the radicalization of young people. The 16-year-old girl used TikTok and WhatsApp to distribute IS propaganda, while her ex-boyfriend published IS material on social media.
So, what can be done to prevent the radicalization of young people? Parents, teachers, and community leaders must be vigilant in identifying signs of radicalization and providing support to vulnerable individuals. Governments and social media companies must work together to remove extremist content and propaganda from online platforms.
the rise of teenage extremism is a pressing concern that requires urgent attention. By understanding the complex factors that drive radicalization and working together to prevent it, we can protect the lives of young people and promote a safer, more peaceful world.
References:
[1] UNODC. (n.d.). Handbook on Children Recruited and Exploited by Terrorist and Violent Extremist Groups: The Role of the Justice System. Retrieved from <https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/Child-Victims/HandbookonChildrenRecruitedandExploitedbyTerroristandViolentExtremistGroupstheRoleoftheJustice_System.E.pdf>
[2] Reuters. (2024, April 19). Teen charged with terrorism over Sydney bishop stabbing. Retrieved from
[3] The Guardian. (2024, April 30). Sydney teenager charged after counter-terrorism raids. Retrieved from
What measures is Austria taking to prevent the radicalization of youth and the spread of extremist ideologies?
Austria Cracks Down on Islamic State Sympathizers: Two Youth Face Trial
In a significant move to combat the spread of radical Islamic ideologies, the Vienna Regional Court in Austria has heard cases against a 16-year-old Muslim woman and her 19-year-old ex-boyfriend, both accused of promoting and supporting the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization.
Radicalization of a Young Woman
The 16-year-old defendant, a native Austrian born in Lower Austria, was found to have made her own cloth bags with the IS logo and distributed propaganda material via social media platforms, including TikTok and WhatsApp. Her cell phone revealed a wealth of files demonstrating her radical religious beliefs, focusing on jihad and martyrdom. Despite being charged with terrorist association and criminal organization, she continued to spread IS propaganda from June 2024 to August 2024 using two Telegram accounts.
The defense attorney pointed out that the young woman came from a traditional Austrian family and had no prior connection to Islam before her conversion. The traumatic experience of abuse at the age of 12 may have led her to seek refuge in Islam, where she could cover herself and protect herself. Additionally, her intellectual disability, with an IQ of 65, and attendance at a special school made her more susceptible to influence by the wrong people.
Ex-Boyfriend’s Involvement
The 19-year-old ex-boyfriend, who also faced trial, was accused of publishing IS propaganda material from 2022 to April 2023 and attempting to persuade a Chechen acquaintance to travel with him to Syria to join IS. In October 2023, he allegedly traveled to Frankfurt with his then-girlfriend, where he met two acquaintances who later made their way to Syria. Although he claimed to have been scared and had his father pick him up, the prosecutor emphasized that he had originally intended to join IS.
The room of the 19-year-old, who was registered with his father, was decorated with IS flags. A psychiatric report revealed that he suffers from a severe anxiety disorder, ADHD, and has an IQ of 81, reducing his ability to make decisions. Despite this, the expert classified him as sane and criminally responsible.
Austria’s Efforts to Combat Terrorism
This case highlights Austria’s efforts to combat terrorism and radicalization, particularly among its youth. In recent years, Austria has seen several high-profile cases involving individuals who have joined or supported terrorist organizations, including IS.
In 2015, a 17-year-old Austrian was found guilty of participating in a terror organization and incitement to terrorism after joining IS[[[2]]. The European Court of Human Rights has also weighed in on cases involving the balance between freedom of religion and expression versus the need to prevent the spread of terrorist ideologies in Austria[[[3]].
Conclusion
The trial of these two young individuals serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat of radicalization and terrorism in Austria. As the country continues to grapple with the challenges of integrating Muslim communities and preventing the spread of extremist ideologies, it is essential to strike a balance between protecting individual rights and ensuring public safety. The outcome of these trials will likely have significant implications for Austria’s approach to combating terrorism and radicalization in the years to come.
