Austrian authorities, investigating suspected Hamas connections since early October, say they have dismantled a terror plot after uncovering a weapons storage depot in Vienna. In response to the weapons cache being discovered, the anti-immigration Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) stated it was once again an example of multiculturalism failing in the country.
In Vienna, the State Security and Intelligence Directorate (DSN) announced that officers secured a suitcase containing five handguns and 10 associated magazines from a rented storage room. Investigators suspect that a group brought these weapons to Austria to keep them ready for “possible terrorist attacks in Europe.”
The investigation was triggered by a foiled Hamas attack in Germany at the beginning of October. German authorities arrested several people, including three suspected Hamas members, as part of a Berlin terror cell.
As part of the international investigation, a 39-year-old British citizen was suspected of being closely related to the weapons storage depot and the group, allegedly operating across Europe. The British man was arrested in London on Nov. 3, 2025.
Politicians react
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said: “The current case shows once again: The State Security Intelligence Directorate is excellently networked internationally and takes consistent action against all forms of extremism. The mission is clear: zero tolerance towards terrorists.”
State Secretary Jörg Leichtfried added: “The DSN’s committed actions and careful investigative work have made a decisive contribution to this successful discovery of weapons – a strong sign of their professionalism and their commitment to the security of our fellow human beings.”
According to Austrian newspaper Krone, the anti-immigration Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) strongly criticized what they termed the “red-pink welcoming culture,” which they claimed “has finally made Vienna a security risk for all of Europe.”
FPÖ Vienna boss Dominik Nepp stated: “While the SPÖ and its pink (left-wing supporters) get lost in multicultural dreams, there are pistols, magazines and assault rifles being stored in the middle of our city for possible attacks.”
The SPÖ is the Social Democratic Party of Austria, seen as one of the main parties promoting open borders in the country.
He concluded with a sharp critique of Austria’s integration policies, which have been pursued by the establishment parties:
“The integration of the past few years, much praised by the SPÖ, NEOS and the Greens, has obviously failed dramatically. The reality is parallel societies where political Islam can spread freely,” stated Nepp.
Tied to German terror case
According to the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office — the highest German prosecution authority — the suspected foreign operators of the Islamist Palestinian terrorist organization, Abed Al G., Wael FM, and Ahamad I., allegedly procured “an assault rifle, pistols and ammunition from Germany, among other things.”
The authority stated: “The weapons were intended to be used by Hamas for assassination attempts on Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany.”
It is unclear how the German case is linked to the Austrian case, but more details may emerge over the coming months as the German trial, and presumably the trial targeting this new Austrian suspect, move forward.
