14-year-old caught

Police prevent attack at Vienna Westbahnhof

The boy, who was only 14 years old, is said to have planned an attack on Westbahnhof station.

(Bild: Jöchl Martin)

The police and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution have apparently prevented a terrorist attack in Vienna. A 14-year-old boy is said to have planned an attack at the Westbahnhof train station. The teenager has already been arrested. 

As the Ministry of the Interior announced on Wednesday, investigators from the State Security and Counter-Terrorism Office (LSE) and WEGA forces arrested the teenager in Vienna-Währing on February 10. The teenager with Turkish roots is said to have become radicalized on the internet on the TikTok platform, as the "Krone" learned.  

Sketches and attack plans seized
During the house search, the investigators discovered dozens of Islamist books. Various handwritten sketches showing attacks with knives and machetes at a train station and on police officers were also seized. Drawings of Islamist soldiers with the IS flag were also found. The sketches also included handwritten instructions for the production of explosive material to be used as a detonator for a bomb.

Bomb-making materials found
In addition, aluminum pipes or table legs and an armored tape were found in a hiding place in a cellar compartment. These materials were to have been used to make the bomb. A combat knife with a 16.5 centimeter long blade, another folding knife with a seven centimeter long blade and a flag with the Islamic creed were also found and seized in another bag. The flag is similar to the one seized after the attack in Villach (see photos).

Among other things, a flag with the Islamic creed was found in the 14-year-old's cellar compartment.

(Bild: BMI)

This flag was seized from the Villach attacker.

(Bild: zVg)

However, the 14-year-old is said to have refused to make a statement when questioned immediately.

Prior to this, the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) had received information that an initially unknown supporter of a terrorist organization was spreading stories and videos with Islamist ideas on several TikTok profiles. The DSN was quickly able to establish the identity of the IS supporter and his arrest was ordered immediately. Shockingly, the suspect had a knife with a saw and a five-centimeter-long blade in his trouser pocket when he was arrested.

More and more IS propaganda online
This is not the first time that a young person has become radicalized on the internet. The Federal Ministry of the Interior emphasized on Wednesday that the spread of radical Islamist propaganda in the digital space is increasing and serves as a source of inspiration for terrorist-motivated acts. Terrorist organizations are increasingly using their own computer games and apps for targeted indoctrination.

At the same time, encrypted communication channels and legal hurdles complicate the work of security authorities, who can only access relevant content once a device has been seized.

"This success of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution shows the importance of a functioning fight against terrorism", commented the Director of the DSN, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, on the prevented attack. "However, the investigative methods of the security authorities must be constantly adapted to the advancing digitalization in order to continue to work efficiently."