One year in prison for a Syrian who promoted terrorism on TikTok
The regional court in Vienna sentenced a 39-year-old Syrian man to one year in prison without parole after being convicted of supporting terrorist crimes and serious threats. The court also decided to place him in a forensic treatment center due to his suffering from a severe and persistent mental disorder. The defendant rejected the ruling and stated that he does not accept it, but rather desires a 'harsher punishment.'
During a tumultuous trial session, it was revealed that the defendant posted on the platform "TikTok" a picture of the perpetrator of a terrorist attack that occurred in the German city of Solingen in August 2024, which resulted in the death of three people at the hands of a supporter of the "Islamic State" (ISIS). The defendant commented on the picture with phrases glorifying the crime and calling on Muslims to prepare to fight the "infidels," and also attached a jihadist anthem to the video.
The accused proudly acknowledged what he published, describing the perpetrator as a "good man," and accused the judge of his country being a "criminal state." He added that "Österreich (Austria) is Nazi" and accused it of supporting Bashar al-Assad's regime and stealing "billions from Syrian children." The man explicitly declared: "I will destroy Austria," clarifying that his arrival with his men to Europe was aimed at sabotaging it, saying: "We will not stop until we destroy Europe." The charges also included threats he made via WhatsApp to seven women working in prostitution, where he responded when asked about his intention: "I want to kill them."
The accused has a criminal record, having been admitted to a mental institution in 2017 after setting fire to a bakery, and was considered not criminally responsible at the time due to his psychological disorder. However, in 2023 he was released after experts deemed him "not dangerous."
In this trial, the psychologist described the man as "highly dangerous" despite being accountable, noting his suffering from a sensitive paranoid disorder and a weak personality structure. She interpreted his repeated statements in court such as "I am terrorism!" as a desire to be in the spotlight, but confirmed after two comprehensive examinations that he is responsible for his actions.
The expert recommended placing him under the second paragraph of Article 21 of the Penal Code in indefinite therapeutic detention, as he is expected to commit serious physical assaults or other crimes if he does not receive psychological treatment during detention.