Four Years After Austria's Largest Anti-Muslim Police Raids The Government Continues To Target Survivors

Austria – November 9th marks the fourth anniversary of Operation Luxor: a turning point in Austria’s systemic repression of its Muslim community.

On November 9, 2020, Austrian authorities executed the largest peacetime police raids since WWII. At dawn, over 70 Muslim households were raided by nearly 1,000 law enforcement officers. Despite no arrests being made, the police confiscated money, personal assets, and even children's devices. Survivors of Operation Luxor endured significant emotional, financial, and physical damage, with accounts revealing a terrifying atmosphere of state intimidation, even targeting children, which has been detailed, in our Report: “Operation Luxor: Unravelling the Myths behind Austria's Largest Ever Peacetime Raids.”

Operation Luxor was part of a broader political agenda driven by the Austrian government, particularly by the ÖVP, which used the concept of “Political Islam” as a pretext to criminalise everyday religious and political practices of Muslims. Framed as a response to security threats, this operation targeted Muslims engaged in activism, religious practices, and even those affiliated with Islamic organisations. It marked the beginning of a campaign to silence Muslim voices and criminalise muslim thought.

The Corruption and Failures Behind Operation Luxor

The investigation revealed a clear disregard for judicial oversight and the lack of credible evidence to justify the targeting of Muslim citizens. Additionally, data collected during the investigation had to be destroyed, and The Graz Higher Regional court deemed the raids unlawful. Further scrutiny uncovered allegations of foreign influence, notably from the Israeli, Egyptian and UAE governments. Operation Luxor has since become a stark example of state-sanctioned Islamophobia.

Operation Luxor 2.0: Ongoing Repression

Operation Luxor’s repercussions are far-reaching and continue to stifle the basic rights of Muslims in Austria, including freedom of assembly, association, and democratic participation. Despite the dismissal of most of the original cases, the Austrian government continues its campaign of state repression. 

Survivors of Operation Luxor are still being targeted, now with non-terrorism related charges, such as fraud and embezzlement. Rahma Austria, a Muslim charity organisation that supports Palestinian refugees. Despite charges of terrorism being dismissed, the Austrian government confiscated nearly 500,000 euros in donations. While the charges were ultimately overturned, the state’s attempts to intimidate and discredit Muslim organisations continue.

The survivors of Operation Luxor, however, have remained resilient and vocal in challenging the injustice they face, urging the public to recognize the systemic violations perpetuated by the Austrian state.

The Austrian state has constructed an infrastructure designed to criminalise Islam and Muslims under the guise of combating “Political Islam.” This includes government-funded institutions like the Documentation Center Political Islam, Austria Islam Conference, and the expansion Counter Terrorism and CVE policies. These state-backed efforts have created a system of surveillance, control, and harassment,which are now being used to crackdown on the Pro-Palestinian movement in Austria.

Nehal Abdalla, CAGE Austria coordinator said;

"Operation Luxor has revealed the networks and individuals that fuel the Islamophobic agenda in Austria, and it is clear that a new generation is emerging to challenge this oppressive system.

Operation Luxor is not an isolated event, but rather a symptom of Austria’s broader Islamophobic agenda. Survivors of the operation remain at the forefront of this ongoing struggle. Their legal victories represent not just personal triumphs, but victories for the entire Muslim community. 

Mamdoh A., a survivor of the raids said: 

“As direct survivors of Operation Luxor, we are challenging the repressive and unlawful measures deployed to criminalise and control the Muslim community.”

“Confronting these forms of Islamophobia is not only crucial for us, as those directly targeted, but is of immense importance for the entire Muslim community. After my case was dismissed, I continued to face targeted harassment, but I successfully challenged each of their intimidation attempts. I will continue to fight against this injustice, not just for myself, but for all of us.”

Image used courtesy of Unsplash/ev