Austria plans to ban ISIS symbols and strip citizenship from those who travel to Syria to fight with Islamist groups.
Al Ahram reproted:
Austria plans to ban militant Islamist groups’ symbols and strip citizenship from people who travel abroad to fight with jihadists in a crackdown announced by conservative government ministers on Monday.
The People’s Party (OVP) campaign still needs to be coordinated with their Social Democrat coalition partners but looks likely to be adopted amid mounting concern in Austria about the potential security threat from radicalised Muslims, especially those who ally with Islamic State.
Authorities suspect more than 140 people in Austria – most of them foreigners who sought asylum – have allied themselves with Islamist groups fighting abroad. Expressions of support for them on the Internet are becoming common.
Thousands of Western volunteers have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join militant groups including Islamic State. The trend has raised fears in Europe and the United States of attacks by returning fighters.
ISIS threatened an attack on Austria in August.
ISIS releases video threatening attack in Austria – From ISIS twitter acct https://t.co/lvjKW3KL4x
— Jim Hoft (@gatewaypundit) August 28, 2014