A third teenager has been arrested in Vienna, after being found to be in the same social circles as those connected to a foiled attack at a Taylor Swift concert.
All three of the pop star’s ‘Eras Tour’ shows in Vienna were cancelled earlier this week, after it was revealed that two people had been arrested for allegedly plotting a terror attack during the gigs.
The ‘Midnights’ singer was set to play at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium last night (Thursday August 8), tonight (9) and tomorrow (10), but event organiser Barracuda Music confirmed that it had “no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety”.
A 19-year-old main suspect was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, and a second person in the Austrian capital. It was widely reported that the former had pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State group.
Now, it has been confirmed that a third suspect has been arrested by police in the area in connection to the now-foiled attack.
Shared by Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (via AP News), an 18-year-old was taken into custody in Vienna last night after allegedly being in contact with the main suspect.
Further details were shared during an unrelated news conference earlier this morning, where investigators revealed that they were looking into the “networks” of the suspects and were now evaluating physical and electronic evidence.
Yesterday it was announced that the main suspect – who has not been named in line with Austrian privacy rules – had fully confessed to planning a terror attack at one of the shows in Vienna. He had reportedly wanted to use knives or self-made explosives outside the Ernst Happel Stadium to kill as many people as possible (via Sky News).
A police search of his house reportedly led to chemicals, explosives, knives and machete knives being found. Authorities also identified Islamic State and al-Qaida material at the residence, according to the outlet.
Head of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner took part in a press conference to say that the 19-year-old, who is said to have North Macedonian roots, had posted an oath of allegiance to the current leader of Islamic State to an internet account weeks earlier.
He also confirmed that the arrested man was looking to “kill himself and a large crowd at the concert either today or tomorrow”, and was “clearly radicalised in the direction of the Islamic State and thinks it is right to kill infidels”.
He is said to have been working closely with a 17-year-old Austrian, who was also arrested. The latter has Turkish and Croatian roots, and had started a job at the concert venue days before the event was cancelled over the terror threat, according to officials.
Following the foiled plot in Austria, Scotland Yard revealed that it was looking to make a decision about the upcoming Swift shows at Wembley Stadium.
After playing three sold-out nights at the London venue back in June, pop star Swift is set to return to the UK capital later this month for five more shows – featuring support from Raye, Holly Humberstone, Suki Waterhouse and Paramore.
When asked about any risk that may be posed for the shows in London, UK Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson stated that the police are now looking into the Wembley gigs and have yet to make an official decision.
It was later announced that the shows would be going ahead as scheduled.
According to authorities, the Vienna gigs were expected to bring in roughly 65,000 concertgoers per day, with an additional 10,000 to 15,000 fans outside of the area. Prior to the cancellation of the gigs, it was shared that security at the concerts would be increased.
Swift herself has yet to share a comment on the Vienna shows. NME has reached out to her team for comment.
This is a developing story.
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