Police in Austria have arrested a third suspect in connection with the foiled terror plot around Taylor Swift’s Vienna shows, previously scheduled for this week.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed that an 18-year-old was taken into custody on Thursday night in Vienna, according to AP. The suspect was allegedly in contact with the primary 19-year-old suspect, who was arrested on Tuesday. Karner confirmed that investigators are currently scrutinizing the “networks” of the suspects.
Karner added that the primary suspect and the 18-year-old who was arrested yesterday both pledged “oaths of allegiance” to the Islamic State group. “He had been in contact with the main perpetrator, but is not directly connected to the attack plans,” Karner said of the third suspect, according to AP. “But, as was found out a few days ago, he took an oath of allegiance specifically to the IS on Aug. 6.”
Two suspects, a 19-year-old male and 17-year-old male, were initially arrested on Tuesday. Austrian officials said the terror plot was planned for either Thursday or Friday’s show and that the suspects’ aim was to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.”
Bomb-making materials were found at the home of the 19-year-old suspect, who officials say was inspired by Al Qaeda and ISIS. He was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State and thinks it is right to kill infidels,” said Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, Austria’s head of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence. “His goal was to kill himself and a large crowd of people.”
According to officials, the suspect stole chemicals from his workplace to build a bomb. The suspect also planned to drive his vehicle into the crowd congregated outside the stadium while armed with knives and machetes.
The 17-year-old suspect was arrested by police near the Vienna stadium where Swift was set to perform; authorities said that the suspect — who also had ISIS and Al Qaeda material at his home — was employed by a company that provided unspecified services to concerts at the Ernst Happel Stadium.
The decision was still made by Barracuda Music, the organizer of the Eras Tour Vienna shows, to cancel the concerts, which were estimated to draw 65,000 people inside the stadium and an additional 10,000 people outside the venue for each show.
“With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” Barracuda Music shared in a statement.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who called the cancelation a “bitter disappointment” earlier this week, defended the decision by authorities cancel Swift’s three Vienna shows.
“I understand very well that those who wanted to experience the concert live are very sad,” Nehammer said at a news conference on Thursday. “Moms and dads are looking after their daughters and sons, who were full of enthusiasm and anticipation for this concert. But it’s also important that in such serious moments as now, it’s inevitable that safety comes first.”
Swift has not yet commented on the canceled Vienna shows. Vienna was the second-to-last stop on the European leg of the Eras Tour, which concludes next week with five shows at London’s Wembley Stadium. Those shows are still scheduled to proceed, albeit with heightened security measures, Variety reports.
