2024-09-11 02:57:42
A fourteen-year-old girl is about to appear before the regional criminal court in Graz for terrorist association and (membership of) a criminal organization, the Austrian news agency APA reported today.
The teenager is believed to be a follower of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization and planned a knife attack in Graz’s Jakominiplatz square. The indictment against the girl, who is under the age of criminal responsibility, is legally binding, the prosecutor’s office confirmed in a Kleine Zeitung article today.
Investigators from the Federal Office for the Protection of the State and Combating Extremism followed the girl’s trail following instructions from a European security authority. A chat story was seized in which the 14-year-old girl talked about a terrorist attack in Jakominiplatz. The girl had already prepared weapons for this purpose – an ax and a knife – as well as special clothing. She sent photos of the items to other IS supporters abroad via “messenger”. The assassination was intended for the “infidels”.
The suspect was arrested on May 17. She only turned 14 on May 9, so the charges only cover that period. During the search of the house, IS propaganda materials were found on various storage media.
In one of the videos, the girl is said to have pledged allegiance to IS. So far, the young woman has pleaded not guilty and has refused to give any evidence. A detention review hearing is scheduled for September 18, after which a date for the main hearing is likely to be set soon. If convicted, the 14-year-old girl faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, writes BTA.