An 18-year-old model student with Egyptian roots is said to have had a penchant for bomb-making in addition to comic books and chess moves. Investigators arrested the boy in a Turkish bookstore
Terrorism investigators have had a success in the heart of Vienna: An 18-year-old model student, high school graduate, and chess talent was arrested as a suspected IS sympathizer. The young man is alleged to have planned attacks on the Israeli embassy and a Shiite center. Cobra police arrested him in a Turkish bookstore.
The explosive vest and IS photo were confiscated by investigators. The prosecutor’s allegations are serious…(Image: zVg)
According to the intelligence agency, he allegedly shared radical content online under the alias “Abu Layeth,” acquired knowledge of explosives, and possessed an explosive vest. Three disturbing photos show him in a typical pose: once with the finger of Tawhid raised, then with a machete and rifle in front of a Mecca mural, and finally with a homemade IS flag. The footage circulated via an encrypted social media channel. A foreign intelligence agency raised the alarm and sent specific information to the Austrian State Security Service.
Toy bomb and explosive documents.
During the house search, investigators found a well-concealed fake bomb in his childhood bedroom – made from toy parts and a weighted vest. His seized cell phone is also explosive: chat histories, preacher videos, and instructions for building explosives stored on it point to a deeper level of radicalization.
The student himself downplays the incident: It was all just a “joke,” a provocation to attract attention. He has nothing to do with real terrorism.
His defense attorney, Michael Babic of the Rast/Musliu law firm, also describes him as a harmless teenager who loves comics and studies for his high school diploma. Nevertheless, he faces years in prison – further investigations are ongoing.
