RadicalizationAustrian court sentences an Islamist hate preacher to 20 years in prison
A criminal court in Graz, Austria, on Wednesday sentenced an Islamist hate preacher, who has adopted the name Ebu Tejma, to twenty years in prison — the harshest sentence so far for convicted Islamists in Austria. He was sentenced on one count of membership in a terrorist organization and one of promoting terrorist activities.
A criminal court in Graz, Austria, on Wednesday sentenced an Islamist hate preacher, who has adopted the name Ebu Tejma, to twenty years in prison — the harshest sentence so far for convicted Islamists in Austria. He was sentenced on one count of membership in a terrorist organization and one of promoting terrorist activities.
VOA reports that 34-year old Tejma, born in Serbia as Mirsad Omerovića, became famous in 2014 for persuading two Austrian teenage girls to leave their homes and travel to Syria to support ISIS jihadists. One of them was killed, and the whereabouts of the second are not known.
He also persuaded an Austrian family of five to travel to Syria to join ISIS in February 2015.
Austrian security services estimate that he has recruited more than 150 foreign fighters to fight for ISIS.
The Counter Extremism Project says that Tejma is believed to have established a Bosnian terrorist cell in Vienna. Prosecutors said he used YouTube to radicalize young people around the world and push them to join ISIS. He also called on his followers to commit murder and genocide against non-believers.
Tejma was arrested in November 2015 and pled not guilty to the charges.
