Four soldiers relieved of duties after 'Nazi' videos published

Four suspects linked to two videos showing young Austrian soldiers engaged in Nazi-oriented behaviour have temporarily been relieved of their duties, a defence ministry statement said today.

In addition, military officials have asked prosecutors to press charges against the suspects, identified only as young conscripts, and have launched disciplinary proceedings, the statement said.

On Tuesday, Austria’s Defence Minister, Norbert Darabos, said he had launched an investigation into an internet video that showed two conscripts who were apparently drunk raising their arms in the Nazi salute.

One is shown shouting: “Heil Hitler.”

The video was published on the video-sharing website YouTube. A similar video surfaced yesterday.

One of the men in the second video was also seen in the first video, according to Hans-Georg Wallner, a public information officer at the provincial military command in Salzburg.

The man had a swastika tattoo and is filmed showing it, he said.

Wallner said only three of the suspects were seen on the videos and that the fourth is suspected of putting the first video online.

Not all men are seen in both videos, he said.