Terror Attack Plans in Vienna: Two Years Partially Suspended for Teenager

The trial against the boy was conducted under strict security measures. He had planned a terrorist attack in Vienna, with the Westbahnhof as the primary target. He assured an IS contact person that the attack would be carried out in the summer of 2025.

Of the two years, eight months were imposed unconditionally. The youth was granted a suspended sentence of 16 months with a three-year probation period. This means that the 15-year-old must remain in prison to serve the unconditional part of the sentence, accounting for pre-trial detention, until early October, unless he is conditionally released early. Whether this will happen is to be examined by the regional court ex officio.

By order, the youth was also required by the jury to prove employment after his release. "Those who are tired from working have less time for nonsense in the evening," explained the presiding judge. Additionally, probation assistance was ordered.

Verdict not final

The verdict - the conviction included the preparation of a terrorist offense, terrorist association, attempted training for terrorist purposes, instruction to commit a terrorist offense, and the crime of a criminal organization - is not final. While the 15-year-old accepted the decision after consulting with his legal representative and his parents present in the courtroom, the prosecutor initially made no statement.

The FPÖ criticized the verdict as too lenient. "A planned massacre that could only be prevented by fortunate circumstances is effectively being answered with a slap on the wrist here. This is how a state ultimately gives up!" security spokesman Gernot Darmann is quoted in a statement. He identifies a worrying trend in Austria and the EU; not for the first time would a dangerous Islamist extremist "get away with mild sentences or questionable releases."

The defendant was comprehensively confessing to the terror charges against him during the trial. "I always stand by my mistakes," said the slight 15-year-old, who answered the presiding judge's questions with shoulder-length black hair and a light blue shirt. He had waited in the consultation room accompanied by several heavily armed members of the Justice Guard Task Force (JEG) for the start of the trial to avoid a large gathering of media representatives who had gathered in front of the hall.

Prosecutor in Vienna identified "very, very high propensity for violence"

The prosecutor attested the 15-year-old a "very, very high propensity for violence." He wanted to "cause a bloodbath." The defendant is "very small, very slight, very young. But the IS uses exactly such individuals." The terrorist organization tries to "specifically encourage young people in Europe to carry out attacks."

"My client is not a monster," countered defense attorney Anna Mair. He had "slipped" because he felt misunderstood, was bullied at school because of his faith, and had no one to talk to. From IS representatives he encountered on the internet, he received "help, knowledge, support, friendship" and was "instrumentalized": "This care fell on fertile ground. Unfortunately."

The then 14-year-old, whose parents are not devout Muslims, had radicalized over TikTok last summer. The prosecutor referred to this as a "sad example of online radicalization, as it is written in the book." The student listened to sermons by well-known IS representatives - including the German Salafist Pierre Vogel - and consumed a large amount of propaganda material from the terrorist militia in a short time, which he also forwarded.

Ordered a firearm after bullying experiences

After turning to IS and finding a bomb-making guide on the internet, making handwritten notes, the boy ordered a firearm from a German online marketplace in November 2024. According to the 15-year-old's account, the attack plans were preceded by bullying experiences at school. He was reportedly teased as the smallest in the class and locked in the toilet. When he prayed at school, he was photographed by classmates and allegedly mocked. A teacher allegedly referred to the Prophet Mohammed as "illiterate" in his presence, the defendant described. As a result, he wanted to own a Glock 17 or a Glock 19, finding corresponding offers online. He sent an order. "Fortunately, it was not delivered," the prosecutor stated in this context.

Subsequently, the defendant changed his original plan in January. He then thought of snatching a service weapon from a police officer and stabbing the officer with a knife. According to the indictment, the student had several combat knives at home, which apparently was not a difficult task to acquire. Specifically, he owned a machete with a blade length of 23 centimeters, two hunting knives, a folding knife, and a pocket knife.

"Plan A" involved stabbing a police officer

With the weapon of the killed police officer, the boy allegedly wanted to kill passersby or infidels, according to the indictment. The 15-year-old confirmed this in his interrogation. That was "Plan A": "I wanted to stab a police officer and take his weapon. I drew where that could be." He intended to "do it in my neighborhood." In this context, the defendant mentioned a specific police station "around the corner" from him.

The student abandoned this plan after coming into contact with a known IS contact person, whose identity has not yet been determined, via a relevant chat in the second half of January. From that point on, the Westbahnhof became the "primary attack target," the prosecutor noted. According to the indictment, the 15-year-old assured the contact person between February 5 and 7 that he would swear allegiance to IS and carry out an attack with explosives, firearms, or stabbing weapons in Vienna in the summer of 2025.

The intentions of the IS supporter were evidenced by seizures in his children's room, carried out during a court-approved house search. Hand-drawn sketches of the U6 station at Westbahnhof were discovered. Depicted were trains, tracks, and stick figures, with one of the figures stabbing others with a knife or machete. The victims are labeled with the word "Kuffar" ("infidels"), a term used in Islam for people who belong to other religions or do not adhere to Islam.

Hostage-taking was also considered

On the run after carrying out the attack, the 15-year-old had also considered taking hostages. For this purpose, he had obtained handcuffs. In the basement compartment of the parental apartment, the police confiscated aluminum pipes and table legs intended for making a pipe bomb.

"It was a very big mistake," the defendant said about the attack plans. When asked by the judge if he was willing to die for his plans, the 15-year-old replied, "I was not willing. I had no courage for it. I am glad I did not do it."

In the fall, a chat partner advised him that he should "do it where there are many people, hospital, train station, concerts, nightclubs." Regarding the weapons, he had thought of stabbing weapons and acquired five knives, but he had also been interested in firearms "since I was little." His new contact then explained to him in January that it was "stupid to do something small," which is why "the Westbahnhof with knife and machete" came to his mind, the defendant stated.

"My goal was to make a better life," explained the 15-year-old, who emulated the attacker from November 2, 2020, who had shot four people in the city center over four and a half years ago. He had "paid homage" to him, the prosecutor noted. The defendant did not contradict this. He wanted to "reach paradise," but now God had "given him prison so that I can improve," he remarked.

Defense Attorney Welcomed the Arrest of the Defendant

The student was arrested on February 10 in the parental apartment in Währing after cross-border investigations. Defense attorney Mair welcomed this. This had taken her client away from his "hatred of everything" and the "spiral" he had been in. The young man did not want to implement his terrorist intentions "immediately." "Only in the summer. He was too cowardly," Mair said about it.

The juvenile court investigations into the defendant, which were discussed in the trial, were quite enlightening. According to these, he had four to five close friends until his arrest, all of whom had a connection to IS. One of them - a 19-year-old - is now in custody for terrorist association. The 15-year-old counted his e-scooter and reading Islamic books among his hobbies. He saw religion "as a resource," the judge quoted from the investigations.

"One Must Defend Their Religion"

"One must defend their religion. If you can't get further with words, you do it with your heart," the 15-year-old explained. Then he added: "If someone puts me down because of my religion, I won't stand for it."

For this reason, at the end of May, he beat up a fellow inmate in the Josefstadt prison who had called him a "terrorist": "That really gets on my nerves." When asked if there had been any difficulties with the teaching staff, the boy remarked: "Not really a fight." A teacher had once spoken disparagingly about "the prophet": "It makes me angry when the prophet is insulted. But jihad is also the struggle to overcome anger."

The blows against the fellow inmate were convicted by the court as bodily harm. However, the 15-year-old was acquitted of a criminal threat against the teacher due to doubt.

(APA/Red)

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