Police Have Foiled An Imminent ISIS Terror Attack At Taylor Swift Concert
Police in Vienna, Austria have foiled a planned Islamic State (also known as IS, or ISIS) terrorist attack on the opening night of a Taylor Swift concert.
Authorities have arrested two people in connection to the planned attack, who are believed to be linked to the terror group ISIS.
The arrests came after receiving a tip from unnamed foreign intelligence agencies.
The US pop star was scheduled to play three shows at Ernst Happel Stadium from today (August 8) as a part of her Eras Tour.
The concerts had been completely sold out, with an estimated 170,000 fans expected over the three back-to-back concerts.
Arrests made in Taylor Swift ISIS terrorist plot
Police are reported to have found chemicals and other suspicious substances at a home in Vienna.
One suspect was arrested in Austria’s capital city, while authorities continue to hunt further suspects.
Another man, a 19-year-old who is considered to be the main suspect, been arrested in Ternitz, an hour away from the capital city.
“There is a focus by the 19-year-old perpetrator on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna,” said Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria’s interior ministry.
Ruf also said the 19-year-old Austrian citizen had pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State group.
It is believed he have become radicalised on the internet, and the terror attack was planned via encrypted messenger chat.
The Austria Press Agency reported that chemical substances were being secured and evaluated, but Ruf wouldn’t give the press any further details.
All of Vienna’s Taylor Swift concerts cancelled
Organisers of the Austrian concerts, Barracuda Music, have decided to cancel all her concerts in the capital city, saying they had “no choice”.
“Following the confirmation by government officials about a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three planned shows for the safety of everyone,” reads the confirmation from Barracuda Music on Instagram.
“All tickets will be refunded automatically within the next 10 business days.”
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Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said in a post on social network X that “the cancelation 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 said, adding that thanks to cooperation between authorities in Austria and foreign intelligence, “the threat could be recognized early on, tackled and a tragedy prevented.”
Die Absage der Taylor Swift Konzerte durch die Veranstalter ist für alle Fans in Österreich eine herbe Enttäuschung. Die Situation rund um den offenbar geplanten Terroranschlag in Wien war sehr ernst. Dank der intensiven Zusammenarbeit unserer Polizei und dem neu aufgebauten DSN…
— Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) August 7, 2024
Security was previously stepped up
The cancellation and news of the arrests over a terrorist plot came hours after authorities had already made a statement about the event, saying security would be stepped up.
No reason was given at the time, but Vienna police chief Gerhard Pürstl said that concrete danger had been minimised, but an “abstract risk” justified raising security.
Local news Kronen Zeitung had reported that the police were planning to have a heavy presence at the shows, which was reported to include long guns, bomb squads and K-9 dogs being stationed to the area.
Just one week after stabbing attack at dance class in Southport UK
The news of the terror plot comes just one week after the stabbing spree at a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport in the UK.
Three young girls were killed, allegedly by 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana.
“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I’m just completely in shock,” Swift wrote on Instagram.
“The loss of life and innocence and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
