The two young terrorists with links to ISIS who were arrested by Austrian authorities on Wednesday planned to drive a bomb-laden vehicle into the crowd at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, potentially killing thousands. The New York Post reports the pair had recently been hired by the Ernst Happel Stadium venue to provide security. Swift was scheduled to perform three concerts in Vienna on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, which were cancelled on Wednesday after the plot was discovered by Austrian police. Authorities said the two, aged 19 and 17 were taken into custody on Wednesday, adding the suspects had become radicalized online by ISIS and allegedly wanted to carry out the attack outside the stadium, killing fans with self-made explosives and machetes, security officials said Thursday, per the New York Post. “The alleged ringleader, a 19-year-old Austrian with North Macedonian roots, had chemical substances and technical devices stashed inside his home when it was raided by authorities, according to officials,” reports the Post, adding the 17-year-old was hired just days ago by the company providing services and security at the venue during the concerts. According to Franz Ruf, public security director at Austria’s Interior Ministry, the two had displayed noticeable behavioral changes in the days leading up to their arrests. “The older teen had quit his job on July 25 and told people he had ‘something big’ planned, while the 17-year-old recently broke up with his girlfriend,” said Ruf. Ruf also revealed the pair made contact with others who were apparently aware of the terror plot plans, including a 15-year-old boy who was also taken in for questioning Wednesday after plans of the terrorist attack were uncovered, though it’s not clear at this time if he has been arrested. Austrian authorities said both older suspects had been under surveillance and were known risks before their arrests. “Investigators said they found extensive material related to ISIS and al Qaeda during a raid at the second suspect’s home,” reports the Post. Authorities also said the main suspect confessed to the attack plans after his arrest and that he had recently sworn allegiance to Islamic State’s leader online. They said the older suspect was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State and thinks it is right to kill infidels.” The names of those arrested have not been released due to Austria’s privacy laws. Swift’s three sold-out Eras Tour concerts were expected to attract 195,000 people in total. It isn’t known which concert the terrorists targetted to attack. “The situation was serious, the situation is serious. But we can also say: A tragedy was prevented,” said Gerhard Karner, Austria’s interior minister on Thursday. Barracuda Music, which organizes the Eras Tour concerts, posted on Instagram on Wednesday night, “we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” citing government officials’ confirmation of the planned attack at the stadium. News of the terror threat and subsequent cancellations devastated ‘Swifties’ across the globe, reports the Post. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer posted on X, formerly Twitter, that “the cancellation of the Taylor Swift concerts by the organizers is a bitter disappointment for all fans in Austria.” “The situation surrounding the apparently planned terror attack in Vienna was very serious,” he wrote, adding that, thanks to intensive cooperation between police and Austrian and foreign intelligence, “the threat could be recognized early on, tackled and a tragedy prevented.” In a separate post, Austria’s Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler, wrote, “For many, a dream has been shattered today. On three evenings in Vienna, tens of thousands of #Swifties should have celebrated life together.” “I am very sorry that you were denied this. Swifties stick together, hate and terror can’t destroy that,” he wrote. The Post adds, “Swift hasn’t yet commented publicly about the cancellations or terror threat.”
The two young terrorists with links to ISIS who were arrested by Austrian authorities on Wednesday planned to drive a bomb-laden vehicle into the crowd at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, potentially killing thousands. The New York Post reports the pair had recently been hired by the Ernst Happel Stadium venue to provide security. Swift was scheduled to perform three concerts in Vienna on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, which were cancelled on Wednesday after the plot was discovered by Austrian police. Authorities said the two, aged 19 and 17 were taken into custody on Wednesday, adding the suspects had become radicalized online by ISIS and allegedly wanted to carry out the attack outside the stadium, killing fans with self-made explosives and machetes, security officials said Thursday, per the New York Post. “The alleged ringleader, a 19-year-old Austrian with North Macedonian roots, had chemical substances and technical devices stashed inside his home when it was raided by authorities, according to officials,” reports the Post, adding the 17-year-old was hired just days ago by the company providing services and security at the venue during the concerts. According to Franz Ruf, public security director at Austria’s Interior Ministry, the two had displayed noticeable behavioral changes in the days leading up to their arrests. “The older teen had quit his job on July 25 and told people he had ‘something big’ planned, while the 17-year-old recently broke up with his girlfriend,” said Ruf. Ruf also revealed the pair made contact with others who were apparently aware of the terror plot plans, including a 15-year-old boy who was also taken in for questioning Wednesday after plans of the terrorist attack were uncovered, though it’s not clear at this time if he has been arrested. Austrian authorities said both older suspects had been under surveillance and were known risks before their arrests. “Investigators said they found extensive material related to ISIS and al Qaeda during a raid at the second suspect’s home,” reports the Post. Authorities also said the main suspect confessed to the attack plans after his arrest and that he had recently sworn allegiance to Islamic State’s leader online. They said the older suspect was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State and thinks it is right to kill infidels.” The names of those arrested have not been released due to Austria’s privacy laws. Swift’s three sold-out Eras Tour concerts were expected to attract 195,000 people in total. It isn’t known which concert the terrorists targetted to attack. “The situation was serious, the situation is serious. But we can also say: A tragedy was prevented,” said Gerhard Karner, Austria’s interior minister on Thursday. Barracuda Music, which organizes the Eras Tour concerts, posted on Instagram on Wednesday night, “we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” citing government officials’ confirmation of the planned attack at the stadium. News of the terror threat and subsequent cancellations devastated ‘Swifties’ across the globe, reports the Post. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer posted on X, formerly Twitter, that “the cancellation of the Taylor Swift concerts by the organizers is a bitter disappointment for all fans in Austria.” “The situation surrounding the apparently planned terror attack in Vienna was very serious,” he wrote, adding that, thanks to intensive cooperation between police and Austrian and foreign intelligence, “the threat could be recognized early on, tackled and a tragedy prevented.” In a separate post, Austria’s Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler, wrote, “For many, a dream has been shattered today. On three evenings in Vienna, tens of thousands of #Swifties should have celebrated life together.” “I am very sorry that you were denied this. Swifties stick together, hate and terror can’t destroy that,” he wrote. The Post adds, “Swift hasn’t yet commented publicly about the cancellations or terror threat.”
