Austrian security officials have arrested a third teenager in connection with a planned attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna. The 19-year-old suspect was allegedly plotting to kill “a large crowd of people” in a suicide attack using explosives and knives.
The suspect, who had previously pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group (IS), confessed to the plan after his arrest. Authorities revealed that he intended to carry out the attack at one of Swift’s three sold-out shows at the Ernst Happel Stadium. Over 195,000 people were expected to attend these concerts, which have since been cancelled.
The teen, who reportedly stole chemicals from his former workplace at a metal processing company in Ternitz, had made significant progress in building a bomb. Local media reports indicate he also planned to drive a car into the crowd outside the stadium. During a news conference on Thursday, public security chief Franz Ruf confirmed that chemicals and technical devices found at the suspect’s home indicated “concrete preparatory actions.”
Weapons were seized from the suspect’s house, and officials, including the head of Austria’s Directorate for Protection of the State and Intelligence (DSN) Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, stated that the teen aimed to kill himself and a large crowd either at the concert scheduled for that day or the next. The suspect had posted a video confessing to the plot, quit his job, and informed others of his “big plans.”
The 19-year-old, an Austrian citizen of North Macedonian descent, had recently altered his appearance to match Islamic State propaganda and had been consuming and sharing Islamist content online.
In addition to the main suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian of Turkish or Croatian heritage was arrested. This second suspect, who worked for a company that was to provide services at the stadium, has also been remanded in custody.
A 15-year-old suspect, found near the stadium at the time of his arrest, is currently being questioned by authorities. Despite earlier statements that no more suspects were being sought, a fourth individual, an 18-year-old Iraqi citizen, was arrested in Vienna on Thursday evening. He, too, is believed to have sworn allegiance to IS.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner stated that the attack was foiled thanks to international intelligence cooperation, highlighting the heightened terrorist threat across Europe. He noted that major concerts are frequent targets for Islamist attackers.
Coldplay is scheduled to perform seven concerts in Vienna from August 21 as part of their Spheres World Tour. Although there is no specific threat to these events, security measures will remain stringent.
Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts were part of the European leg of her Eras Tour, which began in Paris in May. Swift is set to perform five shows at London’s Wembley Stadium next week. UK Policing Minister Diana Johnson assured that Scotland Yard will review intelligence ahead of these dates to ensure safety. London Mayor Sadiq Khan emphasized that the city will “carry on” and that authorities are working to ensure the concerts proceed securely.
