Anti-terror package: Austria wants a Europe-wide imams directory

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Austria's European Minister Karoline Edtstadler demands a Europe-wide registration of imams.

“In the fight against political Islam, I am in favor of creating a European imams directory based on Austria's example.

Most imams travel through many EU countries, so the security authorities have to know who is preaching what in which mosque, ”said Edtstadler, who is also anti-Semitism officer in Austria, told WELT AM SONNTAG.

It is also important, Edtstadler continues, that “funds from the new EU budget will in future be so strictly controlled that they will not go to organizations and associations that represent Islamist and anti-Semitic positions”.

A ban on the financing of mosques and Muslim associations from abroad, as was also introduced in Austria, is also conceivable in the EU.

Austria's European Ministry Karoline Edtstadler wants to implement a Europe-wide coordinated action against radical Islam

Source: AFP via Getty Images

In the fight against terror, the conservative ÖVP politician also called for “the cooperation and data exchange between the judicial and security authorities of the member states to be further improved”.

Austria's anti-terror package

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Austria is considered a pioneer in the fight against so-called political Islam.

After the attack on Schwedenplatz in Vienna by an Islamist terrorist that left four dead and more than 20 injured at the beginning of November, the federal government presented a new anti-terror package that is to be adopted in early 2021.

This also includes a nationwide imams directory that Minister Edtstadler would like to expand to include Europe.

There are also other measures.

In the case of “terrorist offenders”, a “release conference” should be held before a conditional release from prison, in which deradicalization experts, representatives from probation services and the protection of the constitution take part.

The conference is intended to provide the necessary information for the court.

This can then impose appropriate conditions - such as instructions to avoid certain locations or contact persons.

The probationary period can be extended (for more than five years in prison).

The behavior of the conditionally released is to be assessed in at least two "case conferences".

In addition, the court can have compliance with the requirements checked by electronic monitoring.

However, those affected must agree to this measure.

Surveillance in one's own home would not be allowed, but it could be ensured that certain radical mosques, for example, are not visited.

Eight million euros are earmarked for prevention programs.

No ban on "political Islam"

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The second measure is the introduction of the new criminal offense "religiously motivated extremist association" (§247b StGB).

This includes those who “continue to illegally try to replace the essential elements of the democratic constitutional order of the republic with an exclusively religiously based social and state order” and either undermine the state legal order or try to enforce a religious legal order.

There is a risk of up to two years imprisonment here.

The explicit ban on “political Islam” desired by the conservative ÖVP does not come about.

It also facilitates asset recovery from terrorism and organized crime.

Introduction of a "terror register"

The third innovation: Anyone who was in custody for a terrorist offense should be entered on a list, a so-called terror register.

On the one hand, this should be linked to a lifelong gun ban.

On the other hand, employment in safety-critical areas should also be prevented.

The Ministry of the Interior wants to facilitate the withdrawal of dual citizenships.

However, a draft law will not be available until 2021.

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Fourth, the use of the symbols of certain extremist organizations in Austria should already be banned.

These include the Islamic State (IS) terrorist militia, the Muslim Brotherhood, the right-wing extremist Turkish Gray Wolves and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as well as all terrorist organizations in general.

This list is now being supplemented by the right-wing extremist identities, their split-off "The Austrians" as well as other Islamist groups and the left-wing Turkish People's Liberation Party (DHKP-C).

The government also wants to tighten the ban on foreign funding for Islamic mosque associations in order to plug loopholes, for example through foundations.