By studying motives of terrorism, Austria fighting extremism and enacting strict laws to curb it

Mouaz Mohammad

The European Center for Combating Terrorism and Intelligence (CIATS) issued a new study on Monday, October 7, 2019, entitled “Austria: Government Efforts to Counter Extremism Locally”, in which it talked about the means of the Vienna government to counter the threat of extremism in the country.

Crimes of racism

According to the study, the Austrian interior warnings have increased the recent rise in racist crimes and propaganda speeches of the extreme right. Especially it recorded the highest rates in the European Union for foreign fighters traveling to those areas, culminating between 2014 and 2015.

Prevention Summit

On October 20, 2018, Austria hosted a meeting entitled “Prevention Summit”, which was held at the Ministry of the Interior and brought together high-level officials, about 70 experts from governmental and other organizations, and specialists in the fight against extremism, during which they discussed ways to strengthen the prevention of extremism and raise level of awareness to prevent young people from transforming and embracing extremist ideologies.

Reinhard Toefl, the representative of Austria’s interior minister at the time, explained that his country had a well-studied master plan to prevent extremism, covering various areas of society from childhood.

The study pointed to the institutions involved in countering violence and extremism, represented by King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Center for Dialogue between Religions and Cultures. It also highlighted understanding among followers of multiple religions and cultures and addressing contemporary challenges facing societies, including addressing justification of persecution, violence and conflict in the name of religion.

Fighting extremism

According to the study, the Austrian parliament passed several security laws that make it easier for intelligence and police to interrogate potential terrorists and extremists, including a bill that would allow investigators to collect phone calls and data, based on the suspicion that someone might be planning against the country’s constitutional system.

The study of the Center also said that the most prominent measures and policies adopted by the Austrian government to counter extremism was the closure of Turkish mosques after the parliamentary vote by a majority on the resolution, especially as it turned into political extensions, and no longer places of worship.

Austria has also set up a center to monitor Islamists, the first of its kind in Europe that specializes in monitoring Islamists and tracking their activities. Its mission is to monitor their institutions in the country as a step to combat political Islam.

In addition, Austria’s lower house of parliament passed a bill banning the wearing of headscarves in primary schools, amid criticism from leftist parties and Islamist organizations. In Vienna in April 2018, it announced the prosecution of its Daesh citizens currently in Syria and Iraq in ‘special governors’ such as those conducted by the United Nations.

According to the study, Austria expelled Turkish imams, especially after officials announced that there is no place for parallel societies and political Islam and extremism in our country.