Topline
Austrian authorities on Friday said they have arrested a third teenager in connection with the terror plot targeting Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna, which organizers canceled over safety concerns.
Taylor Swift’s three concerts were canceled on Wednesday night after news of the terror plot was … [+]
Key Facts
In a press conference Friday, Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said police arrested an 18-year-old who had been in contact with the main suspect, who is 19.
The 18-year-old Iraqi citizen has not yet directly been linked to the concert terror plot but Karner said he pledged loyalty to the Islamic State terror group a few days ago.
Citing a statement from the Interior Ministry, the Associated Press reported that the “networks” of the suspects are under investigation and authorities are also examining “physical and electronic evidence.”
The main suspect and a 17-year-old alleged accomplice have been kept in a prison in the city of Wiener Neustadt since Thursday and a court is set to rule on the prosecutor’s request for a pre-trial detention on Friday.
News Peg
On Thursday, authorities said the main suspect had fully confessed to his involvement in the plot. But Karner said the third suspect has refused to testify. Aside from the three arrested suspects, police have also been questioning a 15-year-old who had been in contact with them. Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, Austria’s Director of State Security and Intelligence, said the 19-year-old was planning to carry out the attack on either Thursday or Friday and the goal was to kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue by ramming them with a car, stabbing them with knives and machetes before detonating an explosive.
Key Background
Taylor Swift’s three-night run of concerts in Vienna—scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday—was canceled by organizers on Wednesday. Concert promoter Barracuda Music said the cancellation was a result of government authorities confirming a planned terrorist attack and that all tickets would be refunded. Swift’s fans who missed out on the concert gathered in the streets of Vienna on Thursday to sing some of her hit songs and trade friendship bracelets.
What To Watch For
Swift and her team have not yet commented on the matter publicly but U.K. officials have said her four shows in London next week will go ahead as planned.
Further Reading
Taylor Swift’s Austria Shows Canceled Over Terror Plot — Here’s What We Know (Forbes)
