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Vienna (dpa) - The alleged mastermind behind the Ibiza video, in his own words, informed the Austrian presidential office about the film a few days before it was published.
He wanted to warn the government, wrote an email and met an employee of Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen in a hotel, said the private detective, who is in German custody, of the Viennese newspaper “Der Standard”.
The move was a kind of "testament" and a confession.
The presidential office confirmed an email one day before the video was released upon request.
It had “vague references to an upcoming publication on the subject of corruption” and was “shelved”.
Nothing is known of the alleged meeting.
At least the employee of the head of state is now to be summoned to the Ibiza committee of inquiry.
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The Ibiza video published in May 2019 had led to the overthrow of the government of ÖVP and FPÖ.
The then FPÖ boss Heinz-Christian Strache appeared vulnerable to corruption on the secretly recorded video.
He was surprised at the effect, said the detainee.
“I never assumed that the video would lead to his resignation.
I thought it was going to be a scandal, there would be a U-Committee, but Kurz will stick to Strache because he can only make right-wing politics with him. "
The suspect told "Spiegel" and the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" that the video was an attempt to prove Strache's corruption and infidelity.
"All in all, it finally cost more than 100,000 euros."
The actual plan was to arouse interest in the incriminating material of Strache's former bodyguard through the video.
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He did not receive any money for the video itself.
«There were offers after publication.
Two or three million, if I publicly confess and incriminate the SPÖ or Haselsteiner (note: a supporter of the liberal Neos).
The security advisor is in extradition custody in Germany.
The Austrian judiciary is investigating him for drug trafficking and extortion.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210127-99-193881 / 3
Interview "The Standard"