Austrian gov't examines disbanding of far-right group linked to Christchurch shooting

The Austrian government is exploring a potential disbanding of a far-right group that received a donation from the perpetrator of the recent Christchurch shooting, the Krone reported on Wednesday.

The news broke Monday that Australian national Brenton Tarrant, the suspected gunman in the Christchurch Mosque attacks that left 50 people dead, had donated 1,500 euros (1,690 U.S. dollars) to the controversial Identitarian Movement of Austria, led by Martin Sellner.

Sellner said via social media that his house had been searched by authorities and electronic devices seized, and confirmed that an individual with a name matching that of the Christchurch massacre suspected shooter made a significant monetary donation early 2018.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Wednesday also confirmed that the donation from Tarrant had taken place, and announced that procedures to dissolve the Identitarian group were being examined.

He said "there can be no tolerance for dangerous ideologies, no matter which quarter they originate from."

In addition, he said the "full force of the law" will be used where such ideologies are promoted.

Vice-Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, head of the right-wing populist Freedom Party that is presently in a governing coalition, also backed rigorous efforts to clear up the matter, and declared himself opposed to extremism of any sort.

His party is considered to have some common ideological ground with the Identitarian movement, though he distanced his party from the group in comments made on social media.

The Austrian chapter of the Identitarian movement was founded in 2012, based on the French movement Les Identitaires begun in 2003.

The group often conducts public protests and is known in particular to be anti-immigration.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)