"Fire War Division"

Right-wing extremist with attack plans arrested

A number of Nazi devotional objects were seized during a house search.(Bild: DSN)

The man who is considered to be a member of the right-wing terrorist "Fire War Division", which has already been dismantled, who plotted attacks and hoarded gas masks, weapons and Nazi memorabilia, was arrested on Wednesday, it was announced on Friday.

Since shortly before Christmas, a suspected member of the "Feuerkrieg Division" - a right-wing extremist chat group that has since been dismantled and discussed attack plans in secret internet forums - has been in custody in Vienna-Josefstadt prison. The Vienna public prosecutor's office is investigating the 20-year-old for National Socialist reactivation, incitement to hatred, criminal association and incitement to criminal acts. He has now been released.

Took the oath
Christoph Zonsics-Kral, spokesman for the Vienna Regional Court, announced on Friday that the man was released last Wednesday in exchange for lenient measures. He pledged not to engage in extremist activities in future and to keep away from relevant circles.

In addition, probationary assistance was ordered and the 20-year-old was instructed to undergo the "Dialogue instead of hate" program at the Neustart association. "He has to submit corresponding confirmations on a regular basis," said Zonsics-Kral. The court order is not legally binding; the public prosecutor's office has 14 days to lodge an appeal against it, which would have to be dealt with by the Vienna Higher Regional Court (OLG).

"Explosive turn of events"
The 20-year-old has been considered extremely dangerous since the analysis of chats seized from his cell phone. "Should I pray with the dirty Muslims or mingle with the Jews when they hold one of their meetings and give it an explosive twist?" he asked one of his chat partners.

He was also in contact with the assassin who killed two young men with a firearm outside an LGBTIQ bar in Bratislava in October 2022. During a house search in May 2023, an arsenal of weapons, gas masks and Nazi devotional objects were seized from the 20-year-old, but he remained at large for the time being. This only changed with the further evidence that was gathered during the investigation.

Instructions for building bombs
The young man was found to have instructions on how to build bombs and manufacture firearms. In the confiscated chats - the right-wing extremist group in which he exchanged information is said to have had 40 members - he is said to have called for or approved of attacks