Contact point mosque

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A rather inconspicuous basement location is said to have degenerated into a terror hotspot - now the scandalous mosque is facing closure.

(Bild: APA/dpa/Maurizio Gambarini (Symbolbild), Krone KREATIV)

An inconspicuous basement mosque in Vienna is said to serve as a hub for radical Islamist networks. Its visitors, such as the Vienna bomber Kujtim F. and other extremists, have repeatedly been targeted by the authorities. Now the Islamic religious community is planning to dissolve the mosque - a step that should put an end to radical activities.

An investigation by the online magazine "ZackZack" is currently causing a stir in Vienna. At the center: an inconspicuous cellar door in Vienna-Josefstadt with the inscription "En-Nasiha". Men gather there every Friday to pray. But the mosque is increasingly being targeted by the authorities - it is considered a meeting place for radical Islamist circles.

"Terror teen" went in and out here
The focus is on 18-year-old Ali K., who regularly attended the mosque. He was arrested in September 2023 after aborting a planned attack at Vienna Central Station at the last second. K. was sentenced to two years in prison, but was released on parole in the spring - only to be arrested again recently for terror propaganda.

Connections to radical networks?
The mosque is no stranger to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution: Over a decade ago, it was already a meeting place for known jihadists. Mohammed Mahmoud, later a leading member of IS, appeared here, as did Mirsad Omerovic, alias Ebu Tejma, who radicalized dozens of people in Vienna.

Today, Adem Demirovic runs the mosque, which is said to have links to radical networks in Bosnia and the Sandzak.

Osama bin Laden quoted, incitement against minorities
Particularly explosive: a Telegram group with around 1600 members is said to be closely networked with the mosque. It not only contains invitations to events, but also extremist content, including quotes from terrorists such as Osama bin Laden and incitement against minorities. The role of the mosque in this network remains unclear - questions put to the association by "ZackZack" have so far gone unanswered.

IGGÖ plans decisive strike 
The Islamic Religious Community (IGGÖ) is now examining the dissolution of the mosque community. The first steps towards this were already taken before the summer. If the mosque were to lose its status, this would be a decisive blow against this radical infrastructure - although the Ministry of the Interior would also be called upon to take action.