On behalf of the public prosecutors, house searches and seizures were carried out at fourteen locations involving ten men suspected of possessing and trading prohibited items under the Weapons Act, the War Material Act, and the Prohibition Act.

Operation Against Illegal Arms Trade in Seven Federal States

As part of these "Joint Action Days," numerous weapons, ammunition, and Nazi memorabilia were seized, the Ministry of the Interior reported. The operation was led by the Directorate of State Protection and Intelligence Services, with the involvement of the affected state offices, all except those in Carinthia and Salzburg.

The origin of the operation lies in a house search conducted last year by the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism in Lower Austria, during which war material in the form of weapons and war ammunition, as well as Nazi memorabilia, including uniform parts and badges, were seized. The evaluation of the data carriers also seized and intensive investigations have now led to ten further suspects.

Investigations Against the Right-Wing Extremist Scene

The Directorate of State Protection and Intelligence Services, as well as the state offices, have conducted extensive investigations in recent months against both arms trade and the right-wing extremist scene, emphasized Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). This chosen path will be consistently continued. State Secretary Jörg Leichtfried (SPÖ) saw an example of how any form of extremism will feel the full force of the rule of law. Justice Minister Anna Sporrer (SPÖ) assured that decisive action will continue to be taken against extremist activities.

(APA/Red)

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