15 March 2023 , 09:58
486
0
Austrian police warn of the danger of an 'Islamist-motivated attack' targeting churches in Vienna.
The country's intelligence service didn't disclose any further information as to the threats received.
Police in Vienna tweeted that they had heighted security in front of certain buildings, including churches, and increased the presence of officers in the Austrian capital.
"There is a nonspecific threat of an assault against churches," Vienna police tweeted.
"If there is a concrete danger for the population at a concrete location, Vienna police will warn immediately via all available channels," police added.
ISIS bride Shamima Begum on how 'dream' became nightmare when she joined group
Police said they could not say how long their security measures would be in place for.
A church in Vienna (Getty Images/iStockphoto)"Police officers are equipped with bulletproof helmets and vests and assault rifles. They will carry out surveillance activities and also carry out checks in road traffic," police spokesman Markus Dittrich told local radio station Radio Wien.
He did not give any further details on the background of the threat but said that more police would be seen patrolling in the vicinity of churches.
Police called on people not to spread images or video of deployed police officers on social media.
In 2020, a man who had previously tried to join the Islamic State group rampaged in Vienna armed with an automatic rifle and a fake explosive vest, shooting dead four people before he was killed by police.
Vienna's Cardinal Christoph Schönborn said he was awaiting more directions from the police, but that churches will remain open for services and visitors for the timebeing.
Vienna's catholic church devoted to Franz of Assisi (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Other than St Stephen's Cathedral, the capital's mother Catholic church, only Coptic churches were guarded, suggesting the threat was solely against the North African denomination, Kurier reports.
Police in other areas of the country have not taken measures to protect their churches, it's understood.
European churches have often become the target of hideous terror attacks.
In the French city of Nice in 2020, two people were decapitated and a third person killed in a terror attack at a church.
Corrie's Max's fate finally comes out as he's sentenced for horror stabbing
The mass stabbing happened inside the Notre-Dame basilica in Nice at around 9am just as morning service started, with several others injured.
Eyewitnesses to the horrors said the suspect shouted Allahu Akbar as he was arrested and taken to hospital.