The 19-year-old arrested Taylor Swift concert organizer confessed that he had been radicalized by the Islamic State, “believes killing infidels is right,” and “want to kill as many people as possible.” The Associated Press reported.Citing Austrian authorities:
Swift’s performances scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadion were canceled Wednesday for safety reasons.
“Authorities also found Islamic State and al-Qaida material in the home of a second suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian man who was employed by a company providing services at concert venues and was arrested a few days ago by special police units near the stadium.”
Authorities said the 19-year-old Austrian suspect began planning the attack in July and uploaded a pledge of allegiance to the leader of the Islamic National Guard online a few weeks ago, the Associated Press reported.
“He is clearly committed to the Islamic State and believes it is right to kill infidels,” Omar Hajjawi Pirchner, director of the National Security Intelligence Agency, was quoted as saying by the media.
Hajjawi Pilchner “planned to carry out an attack outside the stadium and kill as many people as possible using knives and homemade explosives,” he added to the Associated Press.
Concert organizers told the outlet they expect up to 65,000 Swift fans inside the stadium for each show, with up to 30,000 people gathered outside.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Kerner told The Associated Press that the thwarted attack had been planned for Thursday or Friday, adding that neither the 19-year-old suspect nor the other suspect, a 17-year-old, appeared to have tickets to Swift’s show.
More from the Associated Press:
During a search of the ringleader’s home in Telnitz, south of Vienna, investigators found chemical and technical equipment indicating “concrete acts of preparatory work”, said Franz Ruff, head of the interior ministry’s public security office.
Authorities also found Islamic State and al-Qaida material in the home of a second suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian man who works for a company that provides services at concert venues and was arrested by special police units near the stadium a few days ago.
Kerner said they were not pursuing any other suspects, but police had questioned a 15-year-old boy who had been in contact with both suspects, the outlet reported.
According to the Associated Press, Swift and her team have not publicly addressed the plans or canceled any shows.
The outlet referred to the July 29 stabbing incident at a Taylor Swift-themed children’s dance class in Southport, England, in which a 17-year-old man allegedly killed three people and injured numerous others. Swift said at the time that she was “totally shocked” by the incident, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities initially said there was no evidence that the Southport knife attack was motivated by terrorism, which angered many who accused the government of suppressing evidence. Identified Prosecutors arrested suspect Axel Rudakubana and charged him with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. Authorities confirmed that the suspect is from Cardiff, but noted that both of his parents are Rwandan.
Unrest and violence erupted in the days following the stabbing, spreading across Britain. Prime Minister Keir Starmer Condemned He blamed the violence on “far-right thugs.”
Radio host Glenn BeckJohn F. Kennedy, co-founder of Blaze Media, said on Tuesday that the deadly knife attack revealed a “dual justice” in Britain in which police more or less ignore crimes committed by Muslim immigrants while harshly punishing non-Muslims.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the bombing that killed 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, in 2017. Suicide bomber Salman Abedi Backpack Bomb According to the Associated Press, the explosion occurred at Manchester Arena as thousands of young fans were leaving the venue following Grande’s concert, injuring more than 100 people and killing Abedi.
Official Survey Ended The Associated Press added that Britain’s domestic intelligence service, MI5, did not act quickly enough on critical information and missed an opportunity to prevent the bombing.
According to the Associated Press, Swift will conclude the European leg of her Eras tour with five concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium from August 15 to 20.
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