- Three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna were canceled due to a foiled terror plot
- A third teen, linked to IS, was arrested; no further suspects sought
- Fans mourned the canceled shows, with Swift set to perform in London next week
Taylor Swift’s three planned gigs at Ernst Happel Stadium were canceled on Wednesday after officials uncovered the scheme.
A third teenager has been arrested in connection with a terrorist assault planned for a Taylor Swift concert in Austria.
According to Austrian Home Secretary Gerhard Karner, an 18-year-old Iraqi national was arrested in Vienna on Thursday evening after reportedly contacting the 19-year-old primary suspect.
Mr Karner stated that the third adolescent is “not directly connected to the attack plans” but is from the same social circle as the primary suspect.
Barracuda Music, the event promoters, canceled all three of Swift’s planned gigs at the Ernst Happel Stadium on Wednesday, citing a duty to protect everyone’s safety.
Officials in Vienna claimed Thursday that the main suspect, who is known to have North Macedonian ancestry, intended to use weapons outside the stadium to murder as many people as possible.
The chief of the directorate of state security and intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, stated that the suspect was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State (IS) and believes it is right to kill infidels.”
According to officials, both the primary suspect and the 18-year-old professed “oaths of allegiance” to IS.
Addressing the plot on Friday, United Nations spokesman Alessandra Vellucci said it was an excellent example of how radicalizing people through social media is a serious concern.
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A seventeen-year-old has also been arrested. According to officials, the Austrian citizen, who is of Turkish and Croatian descent, began working at the performance venue just days before the Swift shows were canceled due to a terrorist threat.
No further suspects are being sought.
Police questioned a 15-year-old but did not arrest him.
Show organizers in Austria said they expected up to 65,000 attendees inside the stadium during each show, as well as up to 30,000 spectators outside, where investigators said the suspect intended to strike.
Heartbroken fans gathered in Vienna on Friday to mourn the loss of the Eras tour’s record-breaking run.
Fans, some of whom were seen crying and hugging, clapped, danced, and exchanged friendship bracelets while singing Swift’s songs and taking photographs with one another.
Swift will perform five nights at London’s Wembley Stadium from August 15 to 20 next week.
The gigs will conclude the European phase of the tour, which lasts over three hours and includes more than 40 songs from all of the pop star’s studio albums.
