Wednesday, the Austrian intelligence service received information that suggested a possible extremist attack in the country’s capital of Vienna, so police there stepped up security at several sensitive sites in the city.
It has been determined by our intelligence services that an attack motivated by Islamism is being planned for Vienna,” the police wrote on Twitter.
Particularly delicate “points of interest have been placed under increased guard by regular and special operation police forces,” the Vienna police said.
Police in Vienna clarified that they were concerned about “houses of worship of various confessions,” not just Christian churches, after an initial “non-specific threat” alert caused widespread confusion.
The police have stated that the measures will be in place “until further notice.
The police also promised swift warning in the event of any “imminent danger” at a specified location.
Austria adopted a controversial anti-terror law that permits increased surveillance after the country experienced its first fatal militant attack in 2020.
On November 2, 2020, convicted Daesh group sympathizer Kujtim Fejzulai went on a shooting rampage in central Vienna, killing four and wounding 23 before being shot dead by police.
Two of Fejzulai’s alleged accomplices were given life sentences in prison last month in Vienna, while two others received sentences of 19 and 20 years.
