Police in Austria Police in Vienna have arrested a third suspect in connection with a failed terror plot around Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna, which were scheduled to take place this week.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed that an 18-year-old man was arrested on Thursday evening in Vienna, according to dadThe suspect is alleged to have been in contact with the 19-year-old main suspect, who was arrested Tuesday. Karner confirmed that investigators are currently examining the suspects' “networks.”
The main suspect and the 18-year-old arrested yesterday had pledged an “oath of allegiance” to the Islamic State group, Karner added. “He was in contact with the main perpetrator, but he was not directly linked to the plans for the attack,” Karner said of the third suspect, according to the Daily Telegraph. dad“But as we discovered a few days ago, he had pledged allegiance to ISIS specifically on August 6.”
Two suspects, aged 19 and 17, were initially arrested on Tuesday. Austrian officials said the terror plot was planned for either a concert on Thursday or Friday and that the suspects' goal was to “kill as many people as possible outside the venue.”
The 19-year-old suspect, who officials say was inspired by al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group, was found at his home. “He was clearly radicalized towards the Islamic State and believed it was right to kill infidels,” said Omar Hegawi-Pirchner, head of Austria’s State Security and Intelligence Directorate. “His goal was to kill himself and a large crowd of people.”
According to officials, the suspect stole chemicals from his workplace to make a bomb. The suspect also planned to drive his car into the crowd gathered outside the stadium armed with knives and machetes.
Police arrested the 17-year-old suspect near the Vienna Arena where Swift was scheduled to perform. Authorities said the suspect, who also had ISIS and al-Qaeda material in his home, worked for an unspecified company that provided services for concerts at the Ernst Happel Arena.
Barracuda Music, the organisers of the Eras tour in Vienna, has decided to cancel the concerts, which were expected to attract 65,000 people inside the stadium and an additional 10,000 people outside the venue at each show.
“With government officials confirming a terrorist attack is being planned at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel all three scheduled shows for the safety of everyone,” Barracuda Music said in a statement.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who called the cancellation a “bitter disappointment” earlier this week, defended the authorities' decision to cancel Swift's three shows in Vienna.
“I understand very well that those who wanted to attend the concert live are very sad. Mothers and fathers are looking after their daughters and sons, who were full of excitement and anticipation for this concert. But it is also important in such critical moments as now that safety comes first,” Nehammer said at a press conference on Thursday.
Swift has yet to comment on the cancellation of her Vienna shows. Vienna was the penultimate stop on her European tour, which concludes next week with five shows at London's Wembley Stadium. Those shows are still scheduled to go ahead, albeit under tight security. diverse Reports.
