Austrian neo-nazi website active again

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An Austrian neo-nazi website that was shut down in 2011 and had its creators sentenced to prison is online once again, Austrian authorities have reported Monday.

The "Alpen Donau" site was opened in 2009 and run anonymously via a server based in the USA. It contained material that went against the Austrian Nazi Prohibition Act (Verbotsgesetz 1947), and included names and addresses of opponents as well as anti-semitic material.

Known Austrian neo-nazi Gottfried Kuessel was eventually found to be connected to the running of the site and sentenced to seven years and nine months imprisonment, along with two co-defendants given shorter sentences.

The new iteration of the site is now no longer run anonymously, Der Standard reported, with a known individual, "Richard P." based in the city of Graz as at least one of the people openly operating the website. He is reported to have previously been charged over two incidents involving aggravated assault and breaking the Nazi Prohibition Act, and was also a member of the website in question before its closure.

Reports say he has been using the website in a more careful manner than the previous iteration, including complaining of the "disgraceful" judgement against Kuessel, and arguing against the Nazi Prohibition Act in general.

The Interior Ministry said Monday the individual in question as well as the website were under observation. In addition, reports said the network of individuals involved in the website is considerably larger, and that further charges could be laid in future.