Authorities announced Thursday that bomb-making materials were discovered in the home of one of two individuals suspected of planning a terror attack at upcoming Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna. Both suspects are believed to have been inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda.
The primary suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian citizen, confessed to the attack plans during interrogation, said Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of Austria’s Directorate of State Security and Intelligence.
The suspect, radicalized towards the Islamic State, allegedly intended to kill himself and as many people as possible outside the concert using knives and homemade explosives.
The suspect, who is from Ternitz and has North Macedonian roots, had been preparing for the attack since late July and had changed his appearance significantly, according to Franz Ruf, public security director at Austria’s Ministry of Interior.
He had researched bomb-making techniques and pledged allegiance to the current leader of the Islamic State, Haijawi-Pirchner added.
A second suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian citizen, was arrested in Vienna on Wednesday. A 15-year-old Turkish citizen was also detained and questioned.
Authorities are not seeking further suspects, according to Ruf. Both suspects were known to police and were involved in the attack preparations, with most of the planning taking place at the 19-year-old’s home. The 15-year-old had been consulted about ignition mechanisms, and the 17-year-old, with Turkish-Croatian roots, was employed at a facility providing services at the concert venue and had been present at the site of the planned attack.
Due to these developments, Swift’s concerts scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Vienna were canceled, and security measures were heightened.
Barracuda Music, the event organizer, announced the cancellation and assured ticket holders of automatic refunds. The concerts were expected to draw 65,000 attendees daily, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans outside the venue.
Despite the cancellations, fans have continued to gather, with many engaging in impromptu meetups to sing songs and make friends.
One fan, Joelle Ferri, described the sense of community that emerged in the aftermath, while another fan, Colleen Boltz, expressed her continued plans to attend the Vienna gatherings and her hopes that Swift’s upcoming London shows will proceed as scheduled.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed that the London concerts would go ahead as planned.
