Terrorism: Islamist confesses: Bloodbath planned at Taylor Swift concert

A 19-year-old Islamist said he wanted to cause a bloodbath at a Taylor Swift concert in Austria. The IS supporter has made a full confession, said Franz Ruf, the Director General for Public Security in the Interior Ministry. A 17-year-old was also arrested. No other terror suspects are currently being sought, although investigations into the duo’s environment are continuing at full speed, Ruf said.

According to the authorities, the plan of the two young men was to “kill themselves and a large crowd” with explosives and stabbing weapons either on Thursday or Friday, said Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN) in the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The main suspect did not have a ticket for one of the three concerts in the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna’s Prater, it was said. After the duo’s arrest, the organizer canceled all three Swift concerts in Vienna at short notice as a precautionary measure.

Fans bitterly disappointed

Tens of thousands of fans of the 34-year-old mega-star, some of whom had traveled from the USA and Canada, initially reacted with deep disappointment. Many of them shed tears. Some fans had been looking forward to the show for months. But given the danger, they also expressed understanding for the organizer’s decision. Estimates expected around 170,000 fans on the Eras tour in Austria. It was initially unclear where Taylor Swift was. She has planned further concerts in London.

A tip-off about the plans came from a foreign intelligence service. “Especially in the fight against terrorism, sharing information is essential,” said Haijawi-Pirchner. The tip-off initially only referred to a possible lone perpetrator. However, further findings led to an Islamist network that was already known to the police. The 19-year-old had found out about bomb-making online.

Plans were announced at the last minute

On Wednesday, shortly before the US singer’s first live concert in Vienna, the police uncovered a plot to attack the event. In addition to the 19-year-old, they also arrested the 17-year-old and questioned a 15-year-old. Both had had contact with the 19-year-old.

The 19-year-old Austrian with family roots in the Balkans quit his job on July 25 and said that he had big plans, according to the police. He then prepared intensively for a planned attack. “He noticeably changed his appearance” and adapted it to IS standards, said Ruf. The suspect also recently swore an oath of loyalty to the current leader of the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS). According to the authorities, the 17-year-old had separated from his girlfriend in preparation for the attack. Both suspects had undergone a clear social change.

Second suspect worked in the stadium

The 17-year-old is employed by a company that supplies spectators at the Happel Stadium. The arrest took place on Wednesday when the youth was on his way to the stadium. He was caught by special police forces shortly before the stadium. He has so far remained silent on the allegations. A 15-year-old of Turkish origin is also in police custody and is being questioned intensively. He is said to have at least known about the 19-year-old’s terror plans. The extent to which he was involved is the subject of ongoing investigations.

Explosives and chemicals

During a search of the 19-year-old’s home in Ternitz, south of Vienna, chemical substances and technical devices were seized that indicated “concrete preparatory actions,” Ruf said. A police blue light and an acoustic police horn were also found. They were possibly intended to help the suspects get to the crime scene or escape from it.

Although the arrests have minimized the concrete threat situation, an abstract threat with an increased risk of terrorism still exists. Austria raised the terror alert level to the second highest level after the attack by the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.

According to Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), the intervention of investigators prevented a tragedy. “The situation was serious, the situation is serious,” he said at a press conference. “Large concerts are often a preferred target of Islamist attackers,” said Karner.

Domestic political discussion about threat situation

After the averted attack, the parties in Austria see a need for clarification. The social democratic SPÖ demanded that the National Security Council be convened. The public is being left in the dark as to whether there is still a real threat. The liberal Neos, meanwhile, demanded a briefing in the Chancellery. Neos leader Beate Meinl-Reisinger is also worried about the reputation of the Alpine republic. “I fear the damage to Austria and Vienna’s image is enormous. In Paris, Berlin, London, Munich,… organizers and security authorities can hold concerts everywhere. But not here? Have we been run down to such an extent?” she wrote on X.