Austrian authorities arrest 16-year-old who allegedly planned to attack a Vienna synagogue

BERLIN (AP) — A 16-year-old teenager has been arrested for allegedly planning to attack a synagogue in Vienna, Austria’s top security official said Monday.

The teenager, who was arrested Thursday, had announced in online chats that he intended to procure a weapon to attack an unspecified synagogue in Vienna, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said. He had already obtained the financial means for the attack, Austrian news agency APA reported.

Officials did not identify the suspect. They said he lived near Steyr in northern Austria.

His home was searched and several electronic data carriers were seized, APA reported.

Authorities also found images and video material with instructions for making bombs, weapons and ammunition, APA said.

Austrian authorities have beefed up security for synagogues and other Jewish and Israeli institutions following an increase of antisemitic incidents in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.