Police said they narrowly foiled an ISIS-linked terror attack planned to take place at Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna, Austria, multiple outlets reported.
Police Chief Gerhard Purstl and State Police Director Franz Ruf from the Vienna State Police said two men were arrested Wednesday, in connection with the alleged planned strikes, according to NBC News. One of the men reportedly arrested was a 19-year-old who allegedly declared his allegiance to ISIS, and both suspects had become radicalized online, according to the officials. They were allegedly armed with detailed plans on how to commit an attack of this nature, according to NBC News.
MUNICH, GERMANY – JULY 27: EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO BOOK COVERS. Taylor Swift performs onstage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at Olympiastadion on July 27, 2024 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Thomas Niedermueller/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management )
LEIPZIG, GERMANY – JULY 02: Polizei (Police) are seen outside the stadium prior to the UEFA EURO 2024 round of 16 match between Austria and Turkiye at Football Stadium Leipzig on July 02, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
The arrests were assisted by Austria’s Cobra unit, which has been likened to the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team, NBC News reported.
A bomb squad reportedly found chemical substances when the 19-year-old suspect was taken into custody, authorities said. Investigators are now looking to determine if those alleged substances could have been used to build a bomb, according to NBC News.
“The suspected perpetrator was focused on the Taylor Swift concerts. Preparatory actions were detected,” Ruf said, according to the New York Post.
MILAN, ITALY – JULY 13: EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO BOOK COVERS. Taylor Swift performs onstage during “Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour” at San Siro on July 13, 2024 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management )
“A concrete threat has been averted,” Ruf said, according to Austrian news outlet, Kronen Zeitung, the New York Post reported. The police reportedly could not say with certainty that the upcoming concerts are entirely safe, but they did note they continue to investigate the matter and are looking into other possible accomplices as well.
Swift was scheduled to perform Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna, as part of the international leg of The Eras Tour, NBC News reported. Her concerts have been cancelled, Kronen Zeitung claimed. However, there has been no mention of any cancellations on Swift’s Instagram account.
Security measures have been increased at the concerts, and will include the deployment of a heavy weapons teams and K-9 units, as well as bomb squads and tactical vehicles, police said, according to NBC News.
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Fans have been alerted to the possibility of extensive delays for the purpose of visitor and vehicle checks, NBC News reported. (RELATED: Police Arrest Man On Voyeurism Charges At Taylor Swift Concert: REPORT)
There is no further information about the suspects or the charges they are facing in relation to this thwarted terror-plot.
The investigation remains ongoing at this time.
