Terrorists could face life behind bars in a radical overhaul of Austria's laws in the aftermath of the Vienna ISIS attack.
Multiple failings by the security services led to convicted terrorist Kujtim Fejzulai killing four people in Vienna.
Despite having completed a deradicalisation programme and been on the radar of counter-terrorism police, Fejzulai was still able to commit the atrocity.
The government is now stepping up its “war on political Islam” and is proposing tougher measures to stop extremists.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his cabinet have agreed on a wide range of anti-terrorism measures in a bid to iron out the security flaws identified after the deadly attack and stop "ticking time bombs" like Fejzulai.
Proposals include increased powers to keep convicted terrorists behind bars for life, electronic surveillance upon release of people convicted of terror-related offences and criminalising religiously motivated, political extremism.
Mr Kurz said the measures, which will be brought before Austria’s parliament in December for a vote, take a two-pronged approach, targeting both terror suspects and also the ideology that drives them.
“We will create a criminal offence called ‘political Islam’ in order to be able to take action against those who are not terrorists themselves, but who create the breeding ground for them," Mr Kurz tweeted after the Cabinet meeting.
"It is a strong intervention, but, from my point of view, a necessary step to minimise the threat to our population."
Four people were killed and 22 others wounded in the November 2 attack, before police shot Fejzulai dead.
The 20-year-old, a dual national of Austria and North Macedonia, was wearing a fake suicide vest during the attack. He had a previous conviction for trying to join ISIS in Syria but was given early release from prison in December.
An investigation has been launched into why the country did not have Fejzulai under observation, despite being tipped off by Slovakian authorities that he had tried to purchase ammunition at a shop in Bratislava in July.
Similarly, Austrian intelligence did not act after the attacker took part in a meeting with Islamists known to German security services.
Authorities say Fejzulai was partially radicalised in a mosque and an Islamic association in Vienna, both of which were shut down last week.
The new measures being considered also propose to strip people of Austrian citizenship if they are convicted of offences relating to terrorism, stop them receiving welfare benefits and have their driving licences revoked.
Mr Kurz said the government plans to simplify the process of shutting down associations or mosques deemed to play a role in radicalisation and enable the public to report potential ISIS activities on an online platform.
A central register of imams will also be created.
Austrian authorities have said they have been working closely with the FBI on the investigation, while US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s office said that he talked on Wednesday to his Austrian counterpart, offering further support from Washington for the investigation.
On Monday, in unconnected raids, almost 1,000 police and intelligence service officers searched homes, businesses and associations allegedly tied to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, seizing millions of euros in cash across four provinces of Austria.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 4 (Messi 23' pen, 45 1', 48', Busquets 85')
Celta Vigo 1 (Olaza 42')
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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match info
Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20front-axle%20electric%20motor%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E218hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E330Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMax%20touring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E402km%20(claimed)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh215%2C000%20(estimate)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeptember%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
