Suspect aimed to kill ‘large’ crowd of people at Swift show in Vienna

VIENNA – A 19-year-old man who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group has confessed to plotting an attack on the Vienna leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, Austrian security authorities said Thursday.

He had wanted to use home-made bombs and knives to kill people during one of Swift’s performances, said Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, director of state security and intelligence in the Austrian Interior Ministry.

The main suspect and a second person, aged 17, were arrested Wednesday on suspicion of plans to attack major events in Vienna, including Swift’s concerts, said Franz Ruf, director general for public security in the Interior Ministry.

No further terrorist suspects are currently being sought, but the investigations surrounding the duo are continuing at full speed, Ruf said.

A 15-year-old who had been in contact with the main suspect was also being questioned and was in custody. He is said to have been aware of the 19-year-old’s terrorist plans, but the extent to which he was involved remains the subject of investigation.

Suspect searched how to build bomb

The 19-year-old did not have a concert ticket but intended to strike near the Ernst Happel Stadium. He was part of an Islamist network and already on the police’s radar, the official said.

The suspect had searched online about how to build bombs and told investigators in his confession that he wanted to “kill himself and a large crowd of people” at a Swift show on either Thursday or Friday, Haijawi-Pirchner said.

Plot details emerge

The 19-year-old had quit his job on July 25 and said that he had big plans coming up, according to investigators.

He had begun “concrete preparatory acts” for the attack and had recently sworn an oath of allegiance to the current leader of the Islamic State group, Ruf said.

Ruf said chemical substances and bomb-making equipment were seized from the Austrian’s home in Ternitz, south of Vienna.

A blue police light and a police siren were also found. They were possibly intended to help the suspects get to the crime scene or flee from it.

Second suspect worked at stadium

The 17-year-old was employed by a company that caters for spectators at the Ernst Happel Stadium, where Swift was to perform.

He was arrested on his way to the stadium by a special police force just outside the venue.

According to the authorities, he had separated from his girlfriend in preparation for the attack.

Swift’s Vienna concerts canceled

Her performances had been scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. All three were canceled Wednesday night by the organizer.

Around 170,000 fans were expected to attend over the three nights.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer defended the decision to cancel the concerts. The last-minute decision by event organizer Barracuda Music was “very responsible and understandable,” Nehammer said at a news conference.

He also praised investigators for disrupting the alleged bomb plot by two suspected extremists, saying they had prevented “immeasurable damage” from taking place.

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karne agreed.

“A tragedy was prevented,” he said, adding: “The situation was serious, the situation is serious.”

But Nehammer acknowledged the disappointment of the tens of thousands fans who had been set to see the U.S. pop icon in the Austrian capital.

“I understand very well that the sadness is very great,” he said.

Vienna, businesses try to make amends

The city tried to console Swift fans who came to Vienna for what became canceled concerts by offering them a free hamburger at a gourmet burger restaurant.

Several other establishments are also offering “Swifties” free drinks, including a coffee chain.

Swifties who like the classic along with the contemporary can visit the renowned Albertina Museum collection for free with their Swift ticket. A vintage store is offering a 20% discount on second-hand goods.

And for those who’d prefer to drown their sorrow with some exercise, Vienna’s public baths are offering their cheapest entry fee – 2.60 euros ($2.84) – on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for those with a ticket.

Still, not everyone is giving up on the massively popular songs from the U.S. artist. TV footage showed hundreds of Swift fans gathering at Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral to sing several songs by the megastar.

Swift played shows in Warsaw, Poland, earlier this month and is scheduled to play five dates in London starting next week.