Process: Ott Recommended Journalists to "Go to Elmayer"

The charge is the allegation of violation of official secrecy and thus only one aspect of the accusations to which Ott is exposed. Jenewein himself was not present for health reasons.

He had to undergo surgery on Monday, his lawyer explained Jenewein's absence. The public prosecutor's office accuses Ott of having instructed an official to obtain information on participants of a meeting of European intelligence services on behalf of Jenewein. Jenewein is also alleged to have set Ott on the composition of the "Soko Tape", which was set up to clarify criminal allegations after the Ibiza video. The former politician is also accused of having illegally taken photos in a parliamentary committee and sent them to Ott. During a house search at Jenewein's, a knuckle-duster was also found, which is why the former politician also has to answer according to the weapons law.

Soko Tape Centre of the First Interrogation

The focus of today's trial day was the "Soko Tape". Therefore, its former head and current director of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Andreas Holzer, was summoned. He had been given the task of creating a special commission for the police handling of the "Ibiza video". The corresponding decree was signed on 27.5. - ten days after the video was released.

The approximately 10 members, including officials of the BVT, the State Criminal Police Office Vienna and "good investigators known to me" were "purposefully" asked and selected by him and a colleague. This list was classified as top secret, emphasized Holzer. "We also made sure that the members remain secret."

Witness Rants Against BVT

The second witness called was a currently suspended former BVT officer - against whom proceedings are ongoing - who Ott asked for the names of the Soko-Tape members. "Need names," the judge read a chat message from Ott to the witness. Ott already knew five of the approximately ten members at that time. When he couldn't immediately provide the rest - "my contact will get in touch" - Ott insisted: "Need names urgently".

The witness did not want to disclose who his contacts were in relation to source protection. However, the sources did not come from his colleagues, with whom he said he "certainly" did not discuss it. He had little good to say about them: "Do you know what qualifications we had among colleagues at the BVT? Then you also know why I didn't talk to them." He also discussed with Ott that he would not use official sources. The witness also criticised political influence in the BVT: "If I need a KV, ÖAAB or FCG membership today, and preferably choir singing at Göttweig Abbey for a leadership position, then you want to tell me that I talk to them?"

The Soko Tape, a "crazy party", did not fare well in the witness's statements. "They are not necessarily the brightest candles who went there." In his further statements, he essentially underlined those of the defendant, the names were "discussed in forums, for example on gaming platforms". Ott argued at the start of the trial in November that there were also "certain places" where it had been discussed. The judge wanted to know why he had discussed it with Ott at all, even though he had not been officially involved in the matter. "That's what cops do."

Ott to Journalists: "Go to Elmayer"

There was confusion among the numerous media representatives present before the start of the trial due to a written announcement of a spatial shift in the courtroom. The reason for this was a fault in the lock of the courtroom, which meant that the door could only be opened from the inside. The trial was eventually held as planned in the recently renovated Room 401 of the Vienna Regional Court, with a court intern acting as a "bouncer". The defendant showed little appreciation for the journalists. Ott recommended them to "go to Elmayer" (dance school and etiquette course, note): "First you greet, then you ask questions." However, he did not want to answer questions.

Not part of this main trial are several espionage allegations that Ott is facing. The Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office has been investigating him since 2017 for abuse of office, secret intelligence service to the detriment of Austria and other offences. The trial started in early November, but had to be interrupted in the meantime because Jenewein's defence lawyer considered the question of his client's parliamentary immunity to be unresolved. It is now clear that Jenewein is not protected by this. The trial has been postponed indefinitely, and is likely to continue in February with further witness questioning.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.