17-year-old Austrian terror suspect to give statement to authorities: report

The 17-year-old Austrian terror suspect, accused of planning to detonate a bomb in the capital city Vienna, has told authorities he intends to make a comprehensive statement, local media reported on Wednesday.

ORF, Austria's largest media provider, said the teenager, currently held in a Vienna jail after his arrest on Friday, has agreed to cooperate with law enforcement authorities, with a scheduled questioning to take place on Monday.

Austrian authorities claim the suspect continues to deny the allegations of having intended to detonate a bomb in Vienna, and to have conducted test explosions in Germany.

He, however, has admitted he was in contact with a 21-year-old suspect also arrested in connection with the case by German authorities in the city of Neuss.

The two had become acquainted on Islamist Internet forums.

The defense lawyer of the 17-year-old, Wolfgang Blaschitz, told the Austria Press Agency Wednesday that the two had set off firecrackers and constructed a smoke bomb, but "nothing that could come close to a threat".

While he acknowledges the youth was involved in radical Islamist circles, and looked up to a known radical preacher based in Vienna, he argued that there are no indications of any concrete acts that were planned. Endit