Terror plot foiled at Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, suspects detained

The attacker intended to kill people outside the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, where a Taylor Swift concert was scheduled to take place, said Franz Ruf, the director of public safety at the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, to the media on Thursday.

"The situation was serious, and it remains serious. But we can also say that we managed to avoid a tragedy," said Austria's Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner. He added that since the October 7th massacre carried out by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas in Israel, the threat of terrorist attacks in Europe has increased.

Austrian authorities declared that the plot targeting the Vienna concert was discovered thanks to the work of Austrian intelligence, which closely cooperated with its international counterparts.

Minister Karner also emphasized that international cooperation and internal sources of information played a crucial role in this matter.

On Wednesday, Austrian authorities announced the threat and arrested two suspects for planning an attack on Taylor Swift fans, known as Swifties, reported the Associated Press.

In the home of one of the would-be attackers in the town of Ternitz, authorities found chemical materials, knives, specific attack plans, and Al-Qaeda propaganda materials—the terrorist organization responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks in the USA.

According to AP, Austrian authorities did not provide much information about the detainees. At this moment, two people are known. One is a 17-year-old employed at the stadium where the concert would occur. The other detainee is a 19-year-old of North Macedonian origin; it was in his house that chemical agents and propaganda materials were found. The young terrorists are said to have radicalized online, Ruf told Reuters.

The 19-year-old had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State weeks ago on the internet. Additionally, a 15-year-old Austrian citizen was allegedly apprehended in connection with the attack plan, reported the intelligence, which is in the process of interrogating the suspect.

The singer was scheduled to give three concerts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. AP reported that 170,000 people were expected to attend; all tickets were sold out. On Wednesday, event organizer Barracuda Music announced via Instagram: "We have no choice; we must cancel all three planned concerts for the safety of everyone."

Swift will now go to London, where she will play five concerts in a row. She is on her "Eras" tour, during which she will visit many countries. Some experts believe that the singer is a star on par with Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, or Madonna.

Her concerts also significantly impact the places she visits. Revenues from her concerts are in the millions. Some estimate that her empire is worth around one billion dollars.