Austria deported an Italian citizen of Turkish origin, who confessed to be hired for an assassination by Ankara.

It is reported that the agent, who was assigned by the Turkish state to assassinate opposition members, was deported while his trial was expected to begin on February 4.

Speaking to AFP, his lawyer Veronika Ujvarosi said, "Authorities considered him to be a threat to public safety and he was taken to the Italian border before Christmas."

Feyyaz Öztürk, 53, himself spoke to the Austrian intelligence services and admitted that he had been assigned to kill three people who criticized the policies of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Berivan Aslan, a councillor of the City of Vienna, said in a statement in October that she was one of the targets.

According to information in local media, the Turkish agent admitted that he had given the Turkish judiciary false statements that led to the conviction of an official of the American Consulate in Istanbul in June.

The Austrian prosecutor's office launched an investigation in September and accused Öztürk of "spying for a foreign force". Öztürk could be given a prison sentence of up to two years.

It is reported that Austrian authorities decided to deport Öztürk in order to prevent him from moving freely in the country after his administrative detention was over.

"My client is fine and wants to return to Austria for trial," said lawyer Ujvarosi. The lawyer requested a temporary lifting of the ban on entry into the country's territory so that the agent could attend the hearing.

In the meantime, Berivan Aslan stated that she is still under police protection.