Austrian authorities have arrested an Austrian national suspected of links to ISIS and of planning large-scale terrorist attacks in Austria, following close intelligence cooperation with Morocco’s General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST).
The Austrian Ministry of the Interior confirmed that the operation benefited from critical security support provided by the Moroccan intelligence service as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
In an official statement, Austria’s Secretary of State for the Protection of the Constitution, Jörg Leichtfried, and the Director General of Public Security, Franz Ruf, publicly praised the DGST’s role in the investigation, expressing their gratitude for its valuable contribution.
According to Austrian authorities, cooperation between Austria’s State Protection and Intelligence Directorate and Morocco’s DGST proved “particularly decisive” in ensuring the success of the investigation, underlining the importance of international intelligence partnerships in combating terrorism.
Investigators uncovered concrete indications of planned attacks, with security forces in Austria identified as primary targets. A search of the suspect’s residence led to the seizure of multiple electronic devices containing ISIS propaganda material, as well as video recordings produced by the suspect himself, including one in which he appears to pledge allegiance to the extremist group.
Austrian authorities said the analysis of the seized materials is ongoing and that the investigation remains active.
