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Terrorism
Austria's State Security: Increasing Threat of Terrorism in Europe Since the Hamas Attack
In the last twelve months, the threat of planned terrorist attacks in Europe has increased significantly. The Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) reported a fivefold increase in the number of detected attack plans since 7 October 2023, when the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel. This development underlines the increasing security threat in Europe, particularly concerning geopolitical tensions.
October 23, 2024
CIA Provided Crucial Clues to Attack Plans at Swift Concert in Vienna
The CIA has confirmed that it provided the decisive tip-off to prevent a possible attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna. Information had been received about four people with links to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia who were planning an attack.
August 29, 2024
IGGÖ President Vural Makes Clear Position Against Extremism
In a powerful speech, Ümit Vural, President of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ), called for a joint effort to combat extremism and strengthen social cohesion. In view of the increasing challenges posed by terrorist attacks, geopolitical conflicts and heated security debates in the run-up to the upcoming elections, Vural emphasized the responsibility and long-standing role of the IGGÖ as a state-recognized religious community in Austria.
August 27, 2024
Current DSN Investigation: Terror Plans Lead to Cancellation of Taylor Swift Concerts in Vienna
The planned Taylor Swift concerts at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium were supposed to be a highlight of the summer, but a serious terror threat forced the authorities to cancel the events. A new report by the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) reveals the dramatic background to this decision, which is the result of a series of frightening developments.
August 15, 2024
Taylor Swift Concerts in Vienna Canceled Due to Suspected Terrorism - What Fans Need to Know Now
The cancellation of the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna has left many fans disappointed and perplexed. After two suspected terrorists were arrested who had possibly planned an attack on the upcoming concerts, the organizer Barracuda Music decided to cancel the events. Fans are now wondering what costs will be reimbursed and how to proceed.
August 8, 2024
Austria Commemorates Victims of Vienna Terror Attack on Two Year Anniversary
In memory of the terrorist attack on November 2, 2020, a wreath-laying ceremony was held today at Desider-Friedmann-Platz in Vienna. It is now two years since the terrorist rampage in Vienna's city center killed four people and injured 23 others, some seriously.
November 2, 2022
Ministry of the Interior and Israeli Embassy Hold Symposium on Countering Terrorism
At a recent event in Vienna, the focus was on preventing and combating terrorism. "Current challenges in the fight against terrorism - What Austria can learn from it" was organised by the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, the Israeli Embassy and the University of Continuing Education Krems.
October 25, 2022
Energy Supply: Liquefied Natural Gas from Qatar, Instead of Pipeline Gas from Russia
Chancellor Nehammer visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar with the intention of lessening Austria's dependency on Russian natural gas for energy. Read about the chancellor's visit and how liquefied natural gas could help solve this issue.
March 11, 2022
US Ambassador Kennedy Meets Austrian Officials to Strengthen Bilateral Relations
US Ambassador to Austria Victoria Kennedy has been meeting with various Austrian officials, including President Van der Bellen, Chancellor Nehammer, Foreign Minister Schallenberg, and Interior Minister Karner. Read what the ambassador is doing to strengthen bilateral ties between the US and Austria.
March 4, 2022
Brussels: Schallenberg Attends Ukraine Crisis Meeting of EU Foreign Ministers
Foreign Minister Schallenberg attended a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. The meeting, which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also attended virtually, focused on the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine. Read about the meeting and watch an interview with Foreign Minister Schallenberg.
January 26, 2022
Crisis in Lebanon - Austria's 180 Men Help Counter Hezbollah
Foreign Minister Schallenberg is in Lebanon for a working visit to discuss the ongoing crisis the country is facing. Read more about Schallenberg's visit and how Austria plans to help Lebanon.
January 11, 2022
Priorities of Austrian Foreign Policy in the Face of Numerous Global Challenges in 2022
The Foreign Policy Committee of the Austrian National Council recently met to discuss some of the major global challenges going into 2022. Read which issues they discussed and Austria's stance on them.
December 15, 2021
Who Is the New Austrian Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner?
The new Austrian Minister of the Interior, Gerhard Karner, was recently sworn into office. Learn more about the new minister and his extensive career in politics.
December 9, 2021
Additional Millions for the Fight Against Terrorism, Armed Conflict, and the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Austrian government has decided to provide millions of euros to help Tunisia, Libya, Palestine, and Jordan deal with the humanitarian crises they are facing. Read how this aid will be allocated and why Austria believes it is necessary.
December 3, 2021
State of Qatar Reviews Cooperation with UNODC
The Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Vienna, Ghada Waly, met with a Qatari delegation, including the Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UNODC, Sultan Salmeen Al-Mansouri, to discuss further cooperation between Qatar and the UNODC. Read what the Qatari delegation conveyed to the executive director.
November 18, 2021
Strengthening Bilateral Economic Relations: Austria's Linhart in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan
Foreign Minister Linhart is visiting Central Asia with a business delegation to attend the first EU-Central Asia Economic Forum and discuss economic relations with various government representatives. The foreign minister's trip includes stops in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Read about Linhart's agenda and what topics will be discussed.
November 5, 2021
Money Laundering, Tax Offenses and Terrorist Financing on the Rise
The Austrian Ministry of the Interior reported an increase in money laundering, tax offenses, and terrorist financing in 2020. Read more details about this disturbing trend and its causes.
November 4, 2021
Solidarity Against Political Islam
Austrian Integration Minister Susanne Raab hosted the "Vienna Forum on Countering Segregation and Extremism in the Context of Integration." Various officials from across Europe came to discuss the fight against extremist movements such as "political Islam." Read about the key areas that Raab and the others agreed upon at the event.
November 4, 2021
Austria Commemorates Victims of Vienna Terror Attack on One Year Anniversary
One year after the deadly terrorist attack in Vienna, Austria commemorated the victims and their families with two memorial services. President Van der Bellen, Chancellor Schallenberg, and Vienna Mayor Michael Ludwig offered condolences and spoke out against terrorism and hatred.
November 3, 2021
Strategic Partnership with United Arab Emirates in the Pipeline
On a trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Austrian National Council President Wolfgang Sobotka expressed support for a strategic partnership between the two countries. Read about this new partnership that is currently in the works.
October 28, 2021
The Chancellor on National Day: "No island of the blessed"
Chancellor Schallenberg delivered an address on the Austrian National Day at the Heldenplatz in Vienna. The chancellor reflected on the successes of Austria since 1945 and its response to recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the terrorist attack in Vienna. Read what he said.
October 27, 2021
Loss for Vienna: Relocation of Saudi Center to Lisbon Finalized
The controversial KAICIID (King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue), which is largely financed by Saudi Arabia and is currently based in Vienna, will relocate to Lisbon.
October 25, 2021
What Is the Legal Status Quo of the Afghan Embassy in Vienna?
The last de facto ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Austria, Ambassador Manizha Bakhtari, no longer represents an existing government, but wants to remain Afghanistan's ambassador in Vienna after the Taliban's violent takeover of Kabul. She justifies this by saying that the illegitimate Taliban government cannot recall her and that Austria must first recognize the Taliban in order to legitimize her recall. Some members of the Austrian Parliament have now submitted an inquiry to Alexander Schallenberg, through which the status quo is to be determined.
September 24, 2021
Forum Alpbach: Reaffirming the Importance of the Conference on the Future of Europe
The EU ministers from five member states signed the "Alpbach Declaration on the Future of Europe" at the European Forum Alpbach. The five ministers were Judit Varga from Hungary, Thomas Byrne from Ireland, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis from Greece, Juan González-Barba from Spain, and Karoline Edtstadler from Austria. The declaration highlights the necessity for cooperation and dialogue to ensure that the EU has a successful future.
September 7, 2021
Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein in Vienna
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg in Vienna for bilateral discussions. Some specific issues the pair discussed include Afghanistan, the security situation in Iraq and the Middle East, terrorism, and migration. Read about their meeting and watch their joint press conference.
September 1, 2021
40 Years After Terror Attack on City Temple in Vienna - Commemoration of Victims and Heroes
On August 29, 1981, the synagogue in Vienna (City Prayer House - Stadttempel) was shaken by a terrorist attack. It was the bloodiest attack on Jewish life in Austria after World War II. Two Palestinian terrorists killed two people in the attack, and 21 were injured, some seriously.
August 31, 2021
Austria: Establishment of Deportation Centers in the Region Surrounding Afghanistan to Enable Deportations in the Future
Austria's Interior Minister Karl Nehammer has proposed deportation centers in Afghanistan's neighboring countries at the Special Council of EU Interior Ministers.
August 19, 2021
Van der Bellen on Afghanistan: "Deportations are contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights"
Austrian President Van der Bellen voiced his opinion on the situation in Afghanistan and the takeover of power by the radical Islamic Taliban. "The considerations to continue deporting Afghan citizens to Afghanistan are in contradiction to the European Convention on Human Rights, which is anchored in the Austrian Constitution and prohibits sending people back to a country where they have to expect persecution, torture and murder."
August 17, 2021
Schallenberg at Anti-IS Coalition Meeting: "No Country is Left Out as a Gallic Village"
At the Global Anti-IS (Anti-Daesh) Coalition Meeting in Rome, Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg and his European and global counterparts discussed how to best combat the current threats of Islamist terrorists.
June 29, 2021
Italian Interior Minister and Nehammer Agree on Cooporation Against Terrorism
The Italian Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese visited her Austrian counterpart Karl Nehammer in Vienna to talk about migration and bilateral cooperation with regard to fighting terrorism and extremism.
May 5, 2021
OSCE Counter-Terrorism Conference: Schallenberg Demands Fight Against Different Virus
At the virtual OSCE Counter-Terrorism Conference, Austria's Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg demands to fight against "the virus of hatred, intolerance and contempt for humanity." He wants to remove breeding ground for radicalization and fight counter terrorism with all means of the rule of law.
April 23, 2021
Vienna Terror Attack: Commission Report Shows Intelligence Agency Mishaps
On the evening of November 2, 2020, an Islamist terrorist stormed through Vienna's city center and killed four people. Despite rapid police intervention, massive criticism of the security authorities was voiced after the attack because outrageous investigative errors had occurred in the run-up to the event. Now the final report of the investigation commission has been completed, and it is sharply critical and identifies considerable shortcomings.
February 11, 2021
Edtstadler in Paris: Meetings with Secretaries of State and Chief Rabbi
In order to discuss Covid-19 coordination and the fight against terrorism and anti-Semitism, Austria's Minister for European Affairs Karoline Edtstadler has traveled to Paris, France and met with, among others, Secretary of State for Europe Clément Beaune and Chief Rabbi of France Haim Korsia.
February 2, 2021
European Council: Kurz Hopes for Rapid Approval of Vaccine
Prior to the European Council, Austria's Chancellor Kurz hopes for a rather fast approval process of a Covid-19 vaccine and is looking forward to a succession of close cooperation between the EU and the United States. Other relevant topics for the Council will be sanctions for Turkey, Brexit negotiations, EU climate targets, and the joint fight against terrorism.
December 10, 2020
The Netherlands Gift 10,000 Tulips to Vienna
After the terror attack in Vienna on November 2, the Dutch government represented by the Dutch Ambassador to Austria Gierveld gifted the City of Vienna 10,000 tulips which will be planted near the location of the attack and at other public gardens of Vienna.
November 19, 2020
Virtual Meeting Between Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria
The Czech and Slovak Foreign Ministers met with Austria's European Affiars Minister to discuss cooperation during the Covid-19 pandemic and the joint fight against terrorism. Other topics on the agenda were the EU's migration policy, the current budget negotiations and the conference on the future of Europe.
November 16, 2020
Macron, Merkel, Von der Leyen and Kurz on the Fight Against Terrorism
At a video conference, Macron, Merkel, Rutte, Von der Leyen, Michel and Kurz have agreed that the EU needs to act decisively and jointly against a terrorism and extremism. Following the recent terrorist attacks in France and Austria, the politicians demand further discussions about the future procedure of the fight against terrorism.
November 11, 2020
French Secretary of State for Europe Beaune Meets Austrian Counterpart
Clément Beaune, the French Secretary of State for Europe, visited Minister for European Affairs Edtstadler to discuss closer cooperations in the fight against terrorism. Both politicians agreed on intensifying developments against radical Islam and other forms of terrorism, also on an European level.
November 10, 2020
Integration Minister Raab: "Increasing Radicalization Tendencies Need More Determined Cooperation"
At a video conference with her European counterparts, Austria's Integration Minister Raab demanded even more determined cooperation at the EU level to fight extremism and terrorism. She emphasizes the fact that this fight can be only battled together and that it is important to detect the breeding ground for ideologies that stand against common European values.
November 9, 2020
EU Council President in Vienna
EU Council President Michel came to Vienna to commemorate the victims of the Vienna terror attack and to discuss measures that could enhance the fight against terrorism. Chancellor Kurz and Michel both agreed on the fact that the EU needs to find joint solutions for Political Islam and the terror that is often a result.
November 9, 2020
Vienna Islamist Terror Attack: Live Updates
The attack by an Islamist terrorist began on Monday evening in downtown Vienna directly in front of a synagogue. Five people died, including the suspect. The dead suspect, a 20-year-old man with Albanian roots and parents from North Macedonia, was a sympathizer of the terrorist militia Islamic State and possessed both, the Austrian and the Macedonian citizenship. Twenty-two people were injured, some in critical condition. Three days of state mourning was decided. The investigations are running at full speed. However, it is now assumed that there was only one suspect.
November 2, 2020 · Updated: November 6, 2020; 12:10
Raids on Islamists in Germany after the Vienna Terrorist Attack
The assassin was apparently not only well-connected to Switzerland, but also had connections to Germany. In the meantime, the German police have carried out raids on several residential and commercial premises of suspected Islamists.
November 6, 2020
Macron Was to Visit Austria, Now Only Virtual Meeting With Kurz
The French President Macron had planned to travel to Austria to meet with Sebastian Kurz. However, due to the Covid-19 measures in place, the two politicians will only meet virtually. After the recent terror attack in Vienna as well as in Nice, the topic of discussion will be the fight against Islamist terrorism. A common European approach is demanded and will also be discussed during the working meeting.
November 4, 2020
Worldwide Expressions of Solidarity After Terror Attack in Vienna
Many international organizations and presidents of other parliaments are shaken by the terror attack in Vienna and offer their condolences to the President of the National Council Sobotka. According to Sobotka, this shows the "international dimension" of the attack.
November 4, 2020
70 Years of European Convention on Human Rights: "Democracy Needs Human Rights"
On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights, Constitutional Minister Edtstadler stated that human rights are a prerequisite for an democracy. She also sees the Islamic assassination in Vienna as an attack on the freedom and democracy in Austria and Europe.
November 4, 2020
Danger of Terrorism: Slovakian Warned Austrian Authorities
According to an Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) report, the assassin from Vienna, Kurtin S., had tried to buy ammunition in Slovakia in the summer.
November 4, 2020
Von der Leyen: "European Family Stands With Austria"
The EU Commission President Von der Leyen and many other European politicians have offered their condolences to the Austrian population following the horrible attacks in Vienna. The European family is united in their response by expressing their commitment to freedom, democracy and the fight against terrorism.
November 3, 2020
United Nations Join Host City Vienna in Mourning for the Victims of the Terror Attack
In a message from Ms. Ghada Waly to Vienna, the staff of the VIC - Vienna International Centre and the world, the Director-General, UN Office at Vienna, declares that she rejects violence and hatred, stands in solidarity with Vienna and that the flags at the Vienna International Centre will be lowered during Austria's mourning period.
November 3, 2020
Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Terror Attack in Vienna
From the Ministry of the Interior it became known that the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) claimed the attack in Vienna with four dead and 22 partially severely injured.
November 3, 2020
Terror Attack in Vienna: No Indication of Second Assassin According to Interior Minister
Following the terrorist attack in Vienna, which left five dead and 22 injured, the analysis of almost 20,000 indications has so far revealed no evidence of further assassins. However, neither the Chancellor nor the Minister of the Interior wanted to definitively rule out that there might not be a second fugitive suspect after all.
November 3, 2020
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