Austrian 'Neo-Nazi rapper' held after long search

The arrest took place in the town of Paternion last month but details have only now been released

Austrian authorities have arrested a rapper known as Mr Bond, whose anti-Semitic and racist songs are popular on the extreme right.

Police in the southern state of Carinthia said weapons, a Nazi-era military flag and other Nazi objects were seized at the 36-year-old's home after a lengthy investigation.

Music is key to the neo-Nazi scene, both for recruitment and financing.

Mr Bond's songs are said to have been used during a deadly attack in Germany.

A heavily armed neo-Nazi gunman targeted a synagogue in the eastern German city of Halle in October 2019 before killing a female passer-by and a man at a kebab shop.

A man called Kevin S was shot dead at a restaurant by the Halle gunman

The gunman, Stephen Balliet, live-streamed his killings and told his trial last year he had used Mr Bond's music as a soundtrack and commentary on his actions. He was jailed last December.

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For years the rapper evaded Austrian intelligence and he was widely thought to be based in Vienna. However, officials made the arrest in the southern town of Paternion. They searched the suspect's house on 20 January but news of the arrest emerged only on Tuesday.

"The words of his songs glorify National Socialism and are anti-Semitic, racist and xenophobic," the ministry said. He is also alleged to have translated and published the racist manifesto of the Christchurch gunman in New Zealand.

As well as incitement to racial hatred and promoting Nazi ideas, he is suspected of infringing other artists' copyright.

"Far-right extremism takes on many faces and forms... and whatever form it takes, the fight against [it] is our historical responsibility, said Interior Minister Karl Nehammer.