Alarming Rise in Islamist Radicalization of Young Girls in Upper Austria, Report Reveals

A recent report from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution has unveiled disturbing trends in the Islamist radicalization of young girls in Upper Austria.

According to the report, radical Islamists are targeting girls through online platforms and in schools, persuading them to convert to radical Islam with the aim of facilitating early marriages and encouraging childbirth to “produce fighters.” The findings were presented to the “Extremism” subcommittee of the Upper Austrian state parliament, as reported by the Kronen Zeitung.

Michael Tischlinger, head of the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Combating Terrorism, elaborated on the recruitment process in an interview with the Kurier. He stated that the girls are initially contacted online, leading to rapid conversion to Islam. Afterward, many withdraw from their families, adopt full veiling, and cease attending school. In some cases, the girls even disappear from their homes altogether.

“The intensity of the last few months surprised us,” Tischlinger said. “The girls are almost always victims, most of them are victims of the police investigation,” he added, taking aim at the authorities’ failures to intervene and stamp out grooming and radicalization.

Tischlinger highlighted the troubling impact on families and communities, describing the issue as one of the office’s “biggest current concerns,” particularly given reports of pregnancies among radicalized young women.

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) expressed deep concern about the revelations. Herwig Mahr, FPÖ’s regional chairman, urged immediate action from the federal government. He called for stricter measures to curb illegal mass migration and expanded prevention programs to stop radicalization at its roots. “The future federal government must prioritize this issue to protect our children,” Mahr stated.

In addition, the FPÖ Upper Austria has formally asked the federal interior ministry to provide clarity on the scope of the problem. A parliamentary inquiry submitted by the party seeks specific data on the number of radicalized girls and pregnancies, details of any warnings issued to schools, and recommendations for parents and educators to address recruitment attempts.

The party also questioned why the public had not been more extensively informed about these activities.