A potential Islamist attack on a synagogue was prevented in Upper Austria. The suspect: a teenager (16) with a Turkish background from near Steyr. This was reported by Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP).
Several house searches were carried out in Upper Austria after the teenager apparently revealed his dangerous plans in online chats. From October 2023, he is said to have made concrete preparations to target a synagogue in Vienna or possibly even abroad while armed. According to the director of DSN and project manager Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, he allegedly already had the necessary funds to purchase the weapons.
The arrest took place last Thursday. The young man is currently in custody. During the searches, the police seized a large number of data carriers, including the teenager’s mobile phone, which contained shocking material – bloody and brutal videos attributed to the IS. The suspect had already dealt with various possible locations and ways of realising the crime. The teenager was transferred to Linz prison. He will be questioned in the coming days. Further investigations are ongoing, it was reported.
Terror-Anschlag auf Synagoge geplant: Verdächtiger (16) in Steyr in Haft | Exxpress