US embassy cable - 05VIENNA2313

UNCLAS VIENNA 002313 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/AGS - VIKMANIS-KELLER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PGOV, AU 
SUBJECT: LONDON BOMBINGS:  AUSTRIANS EXPRESS SOLIDARITY: 
"EUROPE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED" 
 
1.  Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel has declared Austria's 
solidarity for the United Kingdom and sympathy for the 
victims of the July 7 bombings in London.  "Europe will not 
be intimidated.  It will close ranks," he declared. 
President Heinz Fischer expressed shock and outrage, calling 
the attacks "despicable crimes the international community 
has to act against together." Foreign Minister Ursula 
Plassnik said Austria would consult with the British on "how 
to support our British partners," and announced that the 
government was dispatching TDY assitance to its Embassy in 
London.  The opposition was equally forthright:  Social 
Democratic Party chairman Alfred Gusenbauer said, "all 
democracies in and outside of Europe are called upon to drive 
back and fight this terror against innnocent people." 
Austria's Islamic Community also issued a statement strongly 
condemning the attack. 
 
2.  In addition to sympathy and solidarity, much of the 
Austrian reaction focussed on whether Austria is vulnerable 
to similar attacks.  Interior Minsiter Liese Prokop announced 
heightened security, both in general and in support of 
British facilities.  An Interior Ministry spokesperson said 
that there is no immediate threat in Austria, but noted "a 
mid-term threat from radical Islamists living in austria, who 
are interested in Jihadism and might be motivated to carry 
out attacks in and outside of Austria." 
Brown