The accusation relates to the violation of official secrecy and is therefore only one aspect of the accusations against which Ott faces. Jenewein himself was not present for health reasons.

He had to undergo surgery on Monday, his lawyer said, due to Jenewein’s absence. Prosecutors accuse Ott of instructing an official to obtain information about participants in a meeting of European intelligence services on behalf of Jenewein. Jenewein also allegedly entrusted Ott with the composition of the “Soko Tape”, created to clarify criminal allegations after the Ibiza video. The former politician is also accused of illegally taking photos in a parliamentary committee and sending them to Ott. During a search at Jenewein’s house, a knuckle duster was also found, which is why the former politician must also answer in accordance with the weapons law.

The focal point of today’s trial day was the “Soko Tape.” This is why its former boss and current director of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Andreas Holzer, was summoned. He had been tasked with creating a special commission for the police treatment of the “Ibiza video”. The corresponding decree was signed on 27.5. – ten days after the video was broadcast.

The approximately 10 members, including officials from the BVT, the Vienna State Criminal Police and “good investigators I know” were “deliberately” interviewed and selected by him and a colleague. This list was classified top secret, Holzer stressed. “We also made sure that the members remained secret.”

The second witness called was a currently suspended former BVT officer – against whom proceedings are ongoing – from whom Ott asked for the names of Soko-Tape members. “Need names,” the judge read from a chat message from Ott to the witness. At that time, Ott already knew five of the ten or so members. While he couldn’t immediately provide the rest – “my contact will contact you” – Ott insisted: “Urgent need for names.”

The witness did not want to reveal who his contacts were in matters of source protection. However, the sources do not come from his colleagues, with whom he said he had “certainly” not discussed it. He had few good words about them: “Do you know what qualifications we had among our BVT colleagues? Then you also know why I didn’t talk to them.” He also discussed with Ott that he would not use official sources. The witness also criticized the political influence within the BVT: “If today I need to be a member of the KV, the ÖAAB or the FCG, and preferably sing in a choir at the abbey from Göttweig for a management position, so you want to tell me that I’m talking to them?

The Soko Tape, a “crazy party,” did not fare well in the witness’s statements. “It’s not necessarily the brightest candles that went in there.” In his subsequent statements, he mainly highlighted those of the defendant, the names being “discussed in forums, for example on gaming platforms”. Ott argued at the start of the trial in November that there were also “certain places” where this issue had been discussed. The judge wanted to know why he discussed it with Ott, even though he was not officially involved in the case. “That’s what cops do.”

There was some confusion among the many media representatives present before the trial began due to a written announcement of a change of space in the courtroom. The reason was a defect in the courtroom lock, which meant the door could only be opened from the inside. The trial ultimately took place as planned in the newly renovated room 401 of the Vienna Regional Court, with a court intern acting as a “bouncer.” The accused showed little appreciation for journalists. Ott recommended that they “go to Elmayer” (dance school and etiquette course, editor’s note): “First we greet, then we ask questions.” However, he did not want to answer questions.

Several espionage allegations Ott faces are not part of this main trial. The Vienna public prosecutor’s office has been investigating him since 2017 for abuse of power, secret intelligence service to the detriment of Austria and other crimes. The trial began at the beginning of November, but had to be interrupted in the meantime because Jenewein’s lawyer believed that the question of his client’s parliamentary immunity had not been resolved. It is now clear that Jenewein is not protected by this. The trial has been postponed indefinitely and is expected to continue in February with further questioning of witnesses.

This article has been machine translated, read the original article here.