The main suspect in a foiled plot to attack concerts by Taylor Swift in Vienna has confessed, saying he had planned to “kill as many people as possible” at the concert venue, according to Austrian authorities. They said the 19-year-old had planned to attack concertgoers with homemade explosives and knives, and had pledged loyalty to Isis.
Swift fans were stunned on Wednesday when organisers abruptly cancelled the three sold-out Vienna concerts, citing the terror plot. Each show would have been watched by 65,000 people, some of whom had travelled thousands of miles and waited months to see Swift perform live.
The main suspect, an Austrian with North Macedonian roots, had made a full confession in custody, Franz Ruf, Austria’s general director for public security, told a press conference.
Another Austrian aged 17 was also detained on Wednesday over the foiled plot. He had been due to work at the Ernst Happel Stadium, which was the venue for the Swift concerts. Police also interrogated a boy of 15 who they believe had been in contact with the 19-year-old ringleader and knew of his plans.
Authorities said the main suspect, who was not named in accordance with Austria’s strict privacy laws, had self-radicalised, changing his appearance and sharing Islamist propaganda online. He quit his job on July 25, telling people he had “big plans”, said Ruf.
He said that investigators had found chemicals, machetes and technical devices at his home in the town of Ternitz, south of Vienna, which he planned to use in the attack. “The situation is serious. But we can also say: a tragedy was prevented,” said Austrian interior minister Gerhard Karner.
He said foreign intelligence services had helped with the investigation, as Austrian law does not allow the monitoring of text messages. “Concerts are often a preferred target of Islamist attackers,” Karner said, citing the 2015 terror attack on Paris’ Bataclan venue and the bombing of a 2017 concert by Ariana Grande at the Manchester Arena in the UK.
Authorities said that the 19-year-old suspect had begun working on his plan to attack the concerts in July, and recently posted an oath of allegiance to the Isis leader.
“He wanted to carry out an attack in the area outside the stadium, killing as many people as possible using the knives or even the explosive devices he had made,” said Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of Austria’s Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, citing the 19-year-old’s confession.
He was “clearly radicalised in the direction of Islamic State [Isis] and thinks it is right to kill infidels,” Haijawi-Pirchner added. Karner said the foiled attack was planned for Thursday or Friday. Concert organiser Barracuda Music said late Wednesday that it had “no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety”. It added that all tickets would be refunded.
Austrian Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler wrote on X: “For many, a dream has been shattered today. On three evenings in Vienna, tens of thousands of Swifties should have celebrated life together.”
“I am very sorry that you were denied this. Swifties stick together, hate and terror can’t destroy that,” Kogler added.
Swift is expected to perform at London’s Wembley Stadium in five concerts between August 15 and 20 to close the European leg of her record-breaking Eras Tour.
So far she has not commented on the cancellations on her official Instagram account, which has 283mn followers.
