Taylor Swift concert terror plot inspired by ISIS, Austrian officials say
Taylor Swift concerts canceled over terror plot
National security analyst Hal Kempfer joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to discuss the latest after organizers of three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna canceled them after arrests were made over an apparent plot to launch an attack on an event in the area.
Investigators who foiled a planned terror attack outside Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna, Austria, found bomb-making materials and propaganda from the Islamic State and al-Qaida at the two suspects’ homes.
Officials released a photo of one of the suspects, a 19-year-old Austrian, who had uploaded to the internet an oath of allegiance to the current ISIS leader. He planned to use knives or homemade explosives to "kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue," authorities said Thursday.
A screen displays a photo of a man arrested in connection with an Islamist attack plot that caused the cancellation of the Vienna leg of a tour by American mega-star Taylor Swift, on the sidelines of a press conference on August 8, 2024 at the Foreig
The second suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian, was employed a few days ago by a company providing services at the venue for the concerts. He was arrested by special police forces near the stadium. Austria’s privacy rules prevent the suspects’ names from being released.
All three sold-out Swift concerts in Vienna were canceled on Wednesday because of the planned attack, devastating Swifties from across the world who had spent thousands to attend the Eras Tour Shows at Ernst Happel Stadium.
Up to 65,000 fans were expected inside the stadium, with an additional 30,000 onlookers outside. Officials said the suspects planned to carry out the attack outside the venue on Thursday or Friday, as neither had tickets for the shows.
Fans of US singer Taylor Swift - swifties - gather in Vienna, Austria, on August 8, 2024, after concerts of the star were cancelled at the last minute (Photo by ROLAND SCHLAGER/APA/AFP via Getty Images)
Authorities said the suspects were "clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State" and believe "it is right to kill infidels."
A raid of the suspects’ homes found chemical substances, bomb-making materials and literature for Islamic State and al-Qaida.