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From the Associated Press: Both suspects in a foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift shows in Vienna appeared to be inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, Austrian authorities said Thursday, and investigators found bomb-making materials at one of their homes. Officials said one of the two confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.”
Three sold-out concerts were canceled a day earlier because of the plot, devastating Swifties from across the globe. Many of them had dropped thousands of euros (dollars) on travel and lodging in Austria’s expensive capital city to attend the Eras Tour shows at the Ernst Happel Stadium, which sat empty Thursday morning as media filmed outside.
Concert organizers said they stood behind their decision, saying they expected up to 65,000 fans inside the stadium at each concert and as many as 30,000 onlookers outside, where authorities said the suspects planned to strike.
Officials told reporters that the main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian, began working on his attack plans in July, and just a few weeks ago uploaded to the internet an oath of allegiance to the current leader of the Islamic State group militia. He planned to use knives or homemade explosives.
Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, the head of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, said of the 19-year-old’s confession, “He wanted to carry out an attack in the area outside the stadium, killing as many people as possible using the knives or even using the explosive devices he had made,” and was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State and thinks it is right to kill infidels.”
While raiding the 19-year-old’s home, investigators said they discovered “chemical substances and technical devices that indicated “concrete preparatory acts.” According to Sky News, he “is said to have North Macedonian roots.”
The second suspect, also from Austria, is 17 years old. Officials raided his home as well, finding Islamic State group and al-Qaida material. Sky News said he has “a Turkish and Croatian background.”
A 15-year-old who had contact with both suspects was also questioned by police, but no charges were announced against that teen.
The suspects did not appear to have tickets for the concert. Austria’s interior minister, Gerhard Karner, said the deadly attack had been planned for Thursday or Friday. He announced, “The situation was serious, the situation is serious. But we can also say: A tragedy was prevented.”
Barracuda Music announced that “all tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days.”
Austrian authorities said Thursday that the main suspect of the two arrested in a foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna confessed to plans to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.” pic.twitter.com/5esYIX2is8
— AP Entertainment (@APEntertainment) August 8, 2024
Nothing to see here
A third Taylor Swift concert has been cancelled in Europe because of threats of Islamic terrorism.
Assimilation seems to be going well! pic.twitter.com/azXkztyoja
— Ashley St. Clair (@stclairashley) August 7, 2024
Officials say suspects in foiled plot at Taylor Swift shows hoped to kill as many people as possible (from @AP) https://t.co/Oh2lYE7BUd
— Jim Gomez (@JimSGomez) August 8, 2024
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