The crisis between the Vienese administration and the Ankara regime has entered a new phase. The Austrian intelligence agency Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution Terrorism Control (BVT) stated their objections to the Turkish state activity in their 2017 report.

BVT Chief Peter Gridling announced the report and stated that Ankara is trying to gain influence in Austria through Turkish institutions. Gridling said the Turkish community in Austria, starting with the associations, is being abused and that “Turkey is trying to identify and pursue political dissidents in our country.”

The intelligence chief pointed out the recent increase in the Turkish state attempts to recruit citizens of Turkish descent to serve as spies, and urged Ankara to give up such activity.

“TURKEY PRESSURES PEOPLE TO BECOME SPIES”

Authorities state that citizens of Turkish descent who happen to visit Turkey are surveiled using intelligence methods and then pressured to serve as spies upon their return to Austria. Intelligence Chief Gridling stated that such methods and activities are preventing the integration of the Turkish community.

Gridling also gave information on ISIS activity in the country and said 313 people have joined ISIS from Austria to date, and that 94 of them returned in 2017. Gridling said they have ascertained that 75 of these people have lost their lives in clashes.

The intelligence chief stated that the returning ISIS members pose a great threat to national security and continued: “The 32 returning jihadists are in prison. We have also implemented a program to reintegrate those who leave Radical Islamist organizations to society.”

DEPORTATION ORDERS FOR ERDOĞAN’S IMAMS

By early June, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz had announced that 60 imams and their families who have ties with the Turkish state would be deported under the country’s efforts “to combat political Islam”. Kurz had also announced that 7 mosques would be closed, and pointed out that the decision was taken after the incident where children were put in military uniforms in Turkish mosques.

The precautions Austria took against the Erdoğan regime’s activities had been met with harsh protest by the AKP government. Turkish President Erdoğan had threatened Kurz and said, “Your amateurish attitude could cost you a lot.”

After Erdoğan openly targeted Kurz, AKP supporters had taken to social media and started to issue death threats.

After the June 24 elections in Turkey, discussions against the Erdoğan regime had flared up again in Austria. Erdoğan received 72% of the vote in Austria, and rightwing parties in particular have been posing the question, “If the people who voted for Erdoğan think Erdoğan’s regime is good, why do they live in our country?”