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Suspect in Taylor Swift's Concert Terror Attack Plot Admits to Wanting to 'Carry Out An Attack' With 'Explosives and Knives'
A suspect in a terror plot targeting a Taylor Swift concert planned to carry out suicide attack using explosives and knives, aiming to cause mass casualties during the event, according to officials.
The Austrian security services exposed more details of the terror threat that led to the cancellation of all three of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour performances in Vienna over the past weekend. The 19-year-old Austrian suspect, who is in detention now, confessed during the trial on suicide bombing at Swift’s concert with the use of explosives and knives, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, the head of Austria’s Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, said during the news conference on Thursday, August 8.
In the arrest of the suspect, Haijawi-Pirchner’s following details emerged: The suspect aimed to cause high casualties and prove his intention by blowing up during the concert planned for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Officials said they discovered hydrogen peroxide, detonators, detonator cables, and homemade explosives in the suspect’s apartment.
Thus, the police’s quick response might have helped avoid a tragedy and protected spectators at the concert.
Authorities stated that the 19-year-old suspect was radicalized by the Islamic State (IS) and was involved in a terror plot targeting Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts. They emphasized that large concerts are often targets for Islamist attacks, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
In addition to the main suspect, police arrested two others: a 17-year-old employee of a facility management company contracted to manage Ernst Happel Stadium, where the concerts were set to occur, and a 15-year-old boy arrested near the stadium. The younger suspect has not cooperated with investigators.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner announced that a foreign intelligence service, believed to be U.S. agencies, alerted Austria about the terror plot targeting Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna. Karner emphasized the gravity of the situation, calling it “a tragedy prevented.”
Swift’s Vienna shows have been canceled due to safety concerns. The concert promoter confirmed the cancellation via Taylor Nation’s Instagram Stories, citing the terrorist threat at Ernst Happel Stadium. Fans will receive refunds within 10 business days.
Despite the Vienna cancellations, Swift's upcoming Eras Tour concerts in London from August 15-20 remain scheduled.
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