Vienna Court Sentences Syrian on Charges of Terrorist Organization Affiliation
This case highlights the challenges of uncovering the hidden past of individuals seeking asylum in Europe despite their connections to internationally banned organizations
April 3, 2025, 10:33 pm

Vienna Court Sentences Syrian on Charges of Terrorist Organization Affiliation

Photo by KATRIN BOLOVTSOVA: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-wooden-gavel-on-brown-wooden-table-6077326/

The Regional Court in Vienna on Wednesday sentenced a 40-year-old Syrian man to four years in prison on charges of joining an extremist organization and a criminal group. This verdict comes after proving the defendant's involvement in working as a theorist - at the minimum - for the extremist organization in his home country.

Security information indicates that the accused was engaged in extremist advocacy activities before fleeing to the European continent, raising questions about the effectiveness of refugee background screening procedures.

The Syrian arrived in Austria in 2019 and was granted asylum in 2020. From then until his arrest in late May 2024, he worked in a restaurant in the Vienna-Landstrasse area. This stark contrast between his quiet life in Europe and his previous activities reflects the challenges of uncovering hidden pasts.

His lawyer, Michael Drexler, stated at the beginning of the trial in mid-February: "He never committed any administrative violation, not even crossing at a red light once," pointing to his client's apparently quiet life with his wife and six children.

Drexler and his client accepted the verdict, despite the defendant's previous insistence on his innocence. The prosecutor made no statement afterward but implicitly indicated her agreement with the court's decision, which is still not legally final.

During the second day of the trial, the prosecutor presented evidence that heavily incriminated the defendant. German authorities, through the Criminal Police Office in Baden-Württemberg, transferred information in summer 2023 to the Austrian Constitution Protection Agency regarding a Facebook account that posted content in Syria in 2016 clearly linked to the extremist organization.

Joint security investigations revealed a profile containing 22 photos, most of which—as the court concluded—showed the defendant with deliberate connections to the organization, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in combating cross-border security threats.

The presiding judge stated in his ruling: "There is absolutely no doubt that the person is the defendant," referring to images showing the man holding an AK-47 rifle in his raised right hand, with the organization's flag in the background, along with accompanying texts glorifying the organization, its actions, and death as a martyr.

The man's past was discovered last spring when the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) and other security agencies received information from Germany indicating the possible involvement of a father of six in serious crimes in his home country. As part of a German investigation against several suspects, a propaganda recording of the organization showing armed men with machine guns on a truck, clearly members of the organization, emerged.

The recording, accompanied by religious chants, was played in the courtroom and included horrific scenes: operational tanks and military vehicles, fired shells, battlefields, and mutilated bodies. At the end, a prisoner is shown lying on the back of a truck, his head held by one of the fighters and directed toward the camera, then another person screams in Arabic: "This is the religion! The religion of God! We are victorious!" According to the court's findings, this person is the 40-year-old who was registered at a Vienna address until his arrest.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.