A third teenager has been arrested on charges of a foiled attack on Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna, Austria, which were subsequently canceled. The arrest, announced by Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, brings the total number of detained individuals to three, CBS News reports.
An 18-year-old was taken into custody Thursday evening in Vienna after allegedly being in contact with the main suspect. The main suspect, a 19-year-old, and a 17-year-old were arrested Tuesday, while a 15-year-old was also interrogated but not detained. Authorities have not released further details regarding the latest arrest.
The foiled attack, which was reportedly inspired by ISIS and al Qaeda, was planned for Thursday or Friday, according to Karner. Investigators discovered bomb-making materials at the home of one of the suspects, and the main suspect has confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.”
Three sold-out concerts, which were scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at the Ernst Happel Stadium, were canceled on Wednesday after the arrests. The cancellations devastated fans from around the world who had spent significant sums on travel and accommodation.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer defended the decision to cancel the concerts, emphasizing that safety was paramount given the imminent threat.
Swift’s European leg of her Eras Tour is scheduled to conclude with five concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium from August 15th to 20th. London Mayor Sadiq Khan, while acknowledging the reasoning behind the cancellations in Vienna, has stated that the concerts in London will proceed as planned.
The foiled attack in Vienna highlights the ongoing threat of terrorism in Europe. In a similar incident last month, a man killed three girls and injured ten others during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class in England.
The main suspect in the Vienna case has confessed to starting to plan the attack in July and has been identified as being radicalized by ISIS. He uploaded an oath of allegiance to the current ISIS leader online just a few weeks ago. Authorities discovered bomb-making materials and chemical substances at his home, indicating concrete preparations for the attack.
