Legal complaint filed over raid on Austria’s domestic spy HQ

BERLIN – An Austrian spy’s lawyer has filed a legal complaint over a recent police raid on the country’s domestic intelligence agency, alleging the measure was disproportionate to the alleged crimes.

The Feb. 28 raid on Austria’s BVT spy agency has sparked a public spat in Austria, with opposition parties calling it an attempt by the government to purge political enemies.

Public broadcaster ORF quoted lawyer Johannes Neumayer on Saturday saying one reported reason for the raid — the handover of blank North Korean passports to South Korea — was a routine intelligence measure and shouldn’t have warranted such a drastic response. Neumayer’s client has not been identified.

The Justice Ministry says armed police confiscated computer data as part of a corruption probe.

Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has pledged a “full investigation.”