Syrian National Sentenced to One Year for Endorsing Terrorism

A 39-year-old Syrian man has received a one-year prison sentence from the Vienna Regional Court for endorsing terrorist acts and making threats. Due to a significant and enduring mental health condition, he has also been committed to a forensic therapeutic center. The defendant has filed an appeal against the ruling, stating he does not accept the sentence and desires a harsher punishment.

The trial was marked by chaotic exchanges. According to the prosecutor, following a terrorist attack in Solingen, Germany, where an affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) killed three individuals in August 2024, the accused posted a photograph of the assailant on TikTok. He accompanied the image with a message praising the attack, implying that divine mercy had spared him from sin, and set the post to a Nasheed, an Islamic chant urging Muslims to prepare for conflict against non-believers.

When confronted with his social media activity, the defendant expressed pride in his comments, labeling the terrorist as 'brave.' He lashed out at the court, claiming Austria was a 'criminal country' and accused it of supporting the former Syrian regime under Assad while robbing Syrian children of billions. He explicitly stated his intent to cause harm to Austria, claiming, 'We will not stop until Europe is destroyed.'

The court proceedings also included threats the man had made against seven sex workers via WhatsApp. When asked if he intended to instill fear, he responded affirmatively, stating a desire to kill them. The accused had previously been committed to a facility for mentally unstable offenders in 2017 after setting fire to a bakery, at which point a psychiatric expert deemed him unfit to stand trial due to his mental health issues. However, he was released in 2023 after experts assessed that he posed no further threat.

In the current case, a psychiatric expert characterized the defendant as 'extremely dangerous' but determined he was legally competent. He suffers from a paranoid-sensitive disorder and was described as a 'difficult, structurally weak personality.' His behavior in court, where he repeatedly asserted 'I am terror,' was interpreted as a need for attention. Despite the acknowledged risk he poses, the expert recommended indefinite detention in a secure facility in the event of a conviction, citing concerns that without therapeutic interventions, he could commit severe violent crimes.