Austrian officials are now shedding light on the details behind the terror plot that led to the cancellation of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts in Vienna this weekend.
As The Blast reported, two men were arrested in connection with disturbing plots to target major events in Vienna, including Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated concerts, on Wednesday.
Vienna State Police Director Franz Ruf and Police Chief Gerhard Purstl revealed that one of the arrested men, a 19-year-old, had allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS. They disclosed that the two men had engaged in “specific preparatory actions for a terrorist attack” and were planning to target Taylor Swift’s concerts.
On Thursday, the head of Austria’s Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, doubled down on that claim, revealing that the 19-year-old suspect admitted he had planned a horrific attack at Taylor Swift’s concert using “explosives and knives.”
More Details Surrounding Terrorist Attack Plan Revealed
Vienna State Police Director Franz Ruf later stated that the 19-year-old suspect quit his job on July 25, reportedly stating he had “something big” in the works. He had planned to detonate a device near the concert venue. Meanwhile, the 17-year-old, who was arrested on Wednesday afternoon in Vienna, had recently broken up with his girlfriend.
“His aim was to kill himself and a large number of people during the concert either today or tomorrow,” Omar Haijawi-Pirchner added, according to Le Monde. Swift’s concerts were originally scheduled to take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
Detonator Cables And Homemade Explosives Found At Suspect’s Apartment
Investigators also discovered a disturbing number of items at the suspect’s apartment, including hydrogen peroxide, detonators, detonator cables, and homemade explosives that were already assembled, per NBC News. The 19-year-old was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State (IS),” officials said at the news conference, adding that “large concerts” are “often a target of Islamist attacks.
According to CNN, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner revealed that a foreign intelligence agency alerted officials to the plot. Sources have since indicated that U.S. agencies were the ones who tipped off the Vienna government about the potential threat.
“The situation was serious, the situation is serious. But we can also say: A tragedy was prevented,” Karner said at the press conference.
Two More Suspects Have Been Detained
Authorities also revealed that two additional suspects, who had been in touch with people aware of the plan, were detained, according to CNN. Among them was a 17-year-old who worked for a facility management company that serviced Ernst Happel Stadium, where Swift’s concert was set to take place.
The other was a 15-year-old who was found in the stadium area at the time of his detention and has since refused to cooperate with authorities.
Taylor Swift’s Vienna Concerts Canceled Following Threat
This latest update comes just hours after Taylor Swift announced the cancellation of all three of her Vienna shows. A post from the promoter, shared on the official Taylor Nation Instagram Stories, cited “safety” reasons for the decision to call off the concerts.
“With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” a message from Barracuda Music noted, adding that all tickets purchased “will be automatically refunded within the next ten business days.”
Taylor Swift Concert Cancellation Is ‘A Bitter Disappointment’
In a post on X, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer called the cancellation a “bitter disappointment for all fans in Austria” but also said it was necessary as a tragedy had been prevented.
“We live in a time in which violent means are being used to attack our Western way of life,” he said. “Islamist terrorism threatens security and freedom in many Western countries. This is precisely why we will not give up our values such as freedom and democracy, but will defend them even more vehemently.”
24-year-old Swiftie Vanessa Szombathelyi traveled from Ireland to Hungary with plans to drive to Vienna for Taylor Swift’s concert with her best friend. “(I’m) feeling mixed emotions, everything from tears to being angry,” she told CNN, noting she was grateful the suspects were arrested.
Authorities had estimated that around 65,000 fans would attend each of Swift’s Vienna shows, with an additional 15,000 to 20,000 expected outside the stadium.
