A court in the Austrian city of Wiener Neustadt sentenced a 20-year-old Syrian man to two years in prison, including a 16-month suspended sentence, after convicting him of belonging to a terrorist organization. The verdict followed the discovery of ISIS propaganda material on his mobile phone.
According to Austrian media, this evidence surfaced during investigations into cases of sexual abuse. Investigators found that the young man had collected, edited, and posted ISIS propaganda videos on TikTok, along with inflammatory messages calling for “jihad.”
In addition to his prison sentence, the court ordered the defendant to attend an intellectual rehabilitation program and deradicalization measures. The verdict is subject to appeal.
Ongoing Counterterrorism Efforts
The case comes as Austrian authorities announced the dismantling of a terrorist network linked to ISIS in St. Pölten. During the operation, the leader, a young man from North Macedonia, was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. Investigations revealed that the network was recruiting teenagers, some as young as 13 to 15 years old.
Austrian authorities continue to implement robust counterterrorism strategies to combat extremism and safeguard national security, especially as online propaganda activities pose an increasing risk.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
