Investigators have found material from the Islamic State group and Al Qaeda in the home of the main suspect who is detained, a radicalized 17-year-old boy.
Three concerts of Taylor Swift in One have been canceled after the arrests for a apparent plot to carry out an attack in the area, predictably in the stadium itself. At least one of the suspects would be linked to the Islamic State group.
Chemical substances and technical devices have been found in the suspect’s house, a 19 year old Austrianaccording to Franz Ruf, director of public security at the Ministry of the Interior of Austria.
In an interview with public broadcaster ‘ORF’ on Thursday, Ruf said that investigators are evaluating the evidence seized at the suspect’s home.
Pledge of allegiance to Islamic State
Just a few weeks ago, the 19-year-old had uploaded a loyalty oath to the current leader of the group’s militia Islamic StateRuf added. The authorities have also found material from the Islamic State group and Al Qaeda at the suspect’s home.
A second person has also been detained in the Austrian capital. Several media outlets in the country have reported that more suspects are being sought, something that the Police have not yet officially confirmed.
Concert cancellations
Concert cancellations have devastated ‘swifties’ around the world, many of whom They had spent thousands of euros on travel and accommodation in the expensive Austrian capital to attend the Eras Tour at the Ernst Happe stadium.
Europa follow closely American superstar. Proof of the madness that the United States generates in the old continent is that the German city of Gelsenkirchen changed its name to ‘Swiftkirchen‘ before the singer’s concerts there in July.
“Today a dream has been broken”
Austrian Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler wrote on the social network X: “For many, today a dream has been broken. For three nights in Vienna, tens of thousands of ‘swifties’ should have celebrated life together.”
“I’m so sorry you were denied this. The ‘swifties’ will stay united, hate and terror cannot destroy that“Kogler wrote late Wednesday.
Ruf said authorities were aware of “preparatory actions” for a possible attack “and also that the 19-year-old author was focused on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna,” reported the Austrian Press Agency.
The Austrian citizen is believed was radicalized on the Internet. Ruf did not give further details, such as the names of the suspects, in line with the Privacy Law Austrian.
The promoter Barracuda Music, which organizes the event, stated in an Instagram post late Wednesday that “We have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for the safety of everythings”. They stated this citing confirmation from government officials of the intention to attack the stadium.
The cancellation came hours after authorities said that security measures would be strengthened for Swift concerts. Ruf previously assured that special emphasis would be placed on, among other things, at entry controls, and that concertgoers should allow a little more time.
Vienna police chief Gerhard Pürstl said at the same time that, although any concrete danger had been downplayed, a minimal risk justified increasing security.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer published in X that “the cancellation of Taylor Swift’s concerts by the organizers it’s a bitter disappointment for all Austrian fans.
ADVERTISING“The situation around Apparently planned terrorist attack in Vienna was very serious“, he wrote. But he added that, thanks to the intense cooperation between the Police and the Austrian and foreign intelligence services, “the threat could be detected in time, stop it and avoid a tragedy.”
What will happen to tickets to Taylor Swift’s canceled concerts in Vienna?
Barracuda, for its part, assured that “all tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days“. The same text was listed under the Vienna dates on Swift’s official website.
According to ‘APA’, tickets for the concerts were sold out scheduled for the Vienna stadium, and the attendance of about 170,000 fans.
Some of the fans made their frustration after months of efforts now wasted to do friendship bracelets and choose fashionable outfits for the performance.
ADVERTISINGAttack at Taylor Swift-themed party
The cancellations came more than a week after ustab attack in coastal town of Southportin the northwest of Englandduring a dance and yoga class at a summer camp with Taylor Swift theme.
The attack left three girls dead and 10 others injured. A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murder.
Attack at another superstar’s concert
In 2017, an attack at a concert Ariana Grande in Manchester, England, killed 22 people. The suicide bomber Salman Abedi planted a backpack bomb at the Manchester Arena at the end of Grande’s concert as thousands of young fans were leaving.
More of 100 people were injured. Abedi died in the explosion. An official investigation by British intelligence, MI5, assured that They did not act quickly enough key information and missed a significant opportunity to prevent the attack, the deadliest extremist attack in the world. United Kingdom in recent years.
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