Reports of suspected espionage in Tyrol
Ministry of the Interior
Three Turkish or Turkish-born Austrian nationals living in Austria are suspected of having transmitted information to the Turkish intelligence service. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner thanks the investigators.
“The Directorate for State Security and Intelligence and the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Tyrol have made a single contribution to protecting our basic democratic values through meticulous, consistent and pinpoint investigations,” said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner on July 28, 2022 when three people in Austria were accused of espionage living Turkish or Austrian nationals of Turkish origin. “I would like to thank the investigators for their professionalism and their commitment.”
Three ads at large
After intensive investigations, the Directorate for State Security and Intelligence (DSN) and the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Combating Terrorism (LVT) in Tyrol carried out arrest orders from the Innsbruck public prosecutor’s office on June 20, 2022 with the support of the Cobra task force. Three people were arrested and two people were transferred to the Innsbruck prison. During house searches at the homes of the accused, numerous data carriers, mobile phones and alarm pistols were seized. After the interrogation and detention check, the accused were reported at large.
Investigations since February 2022
The Innsbruck public prosecutor’s office has been investigating the three suspects living in Austria since February 2022 in cooperation with the DSN and the LVT Tirol. They are suspected of having transmitted information about Turkish nationals or Austrian nationals of Turkish origin living in Austria to the Turkish news service Milli Istihbarat Teskilati (MIT). The modus operandi corresponds to a well-known procedure used by foreign powers to control or spy on opposition figures and opponents of the government living abroad.
Intensive investigations after demos in favorites
For several years, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has been investigating necessary but also club-like structures in Austria. Incidents became known at events in Vienna’s Favoriten district, where Turkish activists were attacked and spied on during a Kurdish demonstration in June 2020. In August 2021, a suspect was convicted in Upper Austria for such crimes.
Item #: 19840 from Thursday, July 28, 2022, 12:36 p.m
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