Vienna, Austria. Photo Credit: Jacek Dylag
More information is emerging about the individuals allegedly responsible for plotting a terrorist attack targeting a Taylor Swift concert in Austria.
These details are coming to light from a variety of sources in the wake of the prevented attack, which, we reported earlier this week, resulted in the cancellation of all three shows Swift had scheduled for the European nation.
Also as we covered on Wednesday, police, reportedly acting on a tip from foreign intelligence, arrested two Austrian citizens. As described by Vienna’s police head, the foremost suspects had been “radicalized and had pledged allegiance to ISIS.” One of these persons reportedly has North Macedonian and Albanian roots.
Age 17 and 19, said suspects appear to have been “inspired” by Al-Qaeda as well as the Islamic State group, per the Associated Press. According to the New York Times, the 17-year-old was working a services job at Ernst Happel Stadium, where Swift had teed up the now-nixed Austria shows; the 19-year-old is being identified as the attack’s chief planner.
Following reports of the initial two arrests, officials and regional outlets including Kronen Zeitung indicated that police had taken into custody another suspect, an 18-year-old Iraqi citizen living in Austria with refugee status.
Though reportedly not directly involved with the alleged terrorist-attack plans, this individual allegedly possessed material knowledge of the main suspects’ plot.
Once again per the Krone, authorities are moving to revoke the protected status of and then deport the 18-year-old “as soon as possible.” Meanwhile, a 15-year-old, possibly with knowledge of the foiled attack but lacking direct involvement, was taken into custody, interrogated, and then released sans charges, the same outlet relayed.
Additionally, one of the suspects reportedly confessed to plotting to “‘kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue,’” and authorities reportedly found at one of their homes bomb-making materials (including “chemical substances and technical devices”) alongside counterfeit money, Islamic State propaganda, and more, the Times and the AP noted.
Bringing the focus back to Taylor Swift’s blockbuster Eras Tour, the artist didn’t look to have commented publicly on the Vienna, Austria, shows’ cancellations at the time of this writing. According to the tour’s official page on Swift’s website, would-be attendees will automatically receive refunds sometime during the next 10 business days.
Furthermore, the 34-year-old will reportedly proceed with a series of Wembley Stadium concerts in London as planned. The first of those five events is set for next Thursday, August 15th, and after the final performance, Swift is scheduled to return to North America for a string of concerts in Canada.
