Austrian security officials say they have prevented a suspected terror attack at Vienna’s Westbahnhof station following the arrest of a 14-year-old boy who had been radicalised online.
The teenager, an Austrian citizen of Turkish descent, was detained on 10 February by officers from the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism (LSE) and the WEGA special unit.
During a search of his home, police uncovered several knives, propaganda material linked to the so-called Islamic State (IS) and handwritten sketches outlining plans for knife and machete attacks at a train station.
The authorities were first alerted after Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office flagged a TikTok account featuring radical Islamist content. Austrian intelligence services later traced the profile to the boy.
The news comes just days after a suspected Islamist-motivated knife attack in the southern Austrian city of Villach, which left one person dead and five others injured.
‘A Fantasy, Not an Imminent Threat’
The boy’s defence lawyer, Anna Mair, said she did not believe an attack was imminent.
“In my view, this was an engagement with IS ideology and a fantasy that remained in the realm of imagination,” she said.
She added that he had “thoughts about it” and “wrote these thoughts down”. A house search uncovered what she described as a “child’s drawing” depicting “trains, tracks, little stick figures and the U6 station at Westbahnhof.”
“Based on my impression, I believe this was purely a fantasy. We were far from any concrete execution,” she said.
Knives and Bomb-Making Materials
At the time of his arrest, the 14-year-old was carrying a serrated knife with a five-centimetre blade, according to the Interior Ministry.
Officers also discovered instructions on making explosives, along with materials believed to be intended for bomb-making, including aluminium pipes, table legs and duct tape, which had been hidden in a basement storage unit.
In a bag, police found a combat knife with a 16.5-centimetre blade and a folding knife with a seven-centimetre blade.
The teenager refused to make a statement during his initial questioning.
Concerns Over Online Radicalisation
The Interior Ministry said the case highlighted the growing spread of Islamist propaganda online, warning that it could serve as “an inspiration for terrorist-motivated acts”.
“Young people and young adults are particularly vulnerable, as they come into contact with extremist ideologies via social media and private online channels,” it said.
Authorities also pointed to the increasing influence of “preacher influencers” who use digital platforms to radicalise young audiences, often from abroad.
