A third suspect has been detained in connection with a plan to attack now-cancelled Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna, according to Austria’s authorities.
On Friday, Minister for the Interior Gerhard Karner said an 18-year-old was taken into custody on Thursday evening in the Austrian capital after allegedly being in contact with the main suspect.
The 19-year-old main suspect and a 17-year-old were arrested on Tuesday, while a 15-year-old was also interrogated but not arrested.
Three sold-out concerts, part of the American singer-songwriter’s Eras Tour, were cancelled on Wednesday over the security threat.
The authorities said the plot appeared to have been inspired by the ISIL (ISIS) group and al-Qaeda.
The third suspect “had been in contact with the main perpetrator, but is not directly connected to the attack plans,” Karner said. “But, as was found out a few days ago, he took an oath of allegiance specifically to the IS [ISIL or ISIS] on August 6.”
A United Nations spokesperson, Alessandra Vellucci, said on Friday that the reports of radicalisation once again highlighted the dangers posed by social media.
“It is definitely a good demonstration that radicalisation of people through the use of social media is really a concern,” Vellucci said.
Franz Ruf, the director general for public security, said on Thursday that police found machetes, knives, explosives, timers and chemicals to make explosives and ISIL propaganda material at the main suspect’s home, where he lived with his parents.
Security officials said one suspect allegedly confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue”.
Concert organisers in Austria said they had expected up to 65,000 fans inside the Ernst Happel Stadium at each concert and as many as 30,000 onlookers outside, where authorities said the suspects planned to strike.
The foiled attack was planned for Thursday or Friday, according to Karner.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer defended the decision to cancel the concerts, saying the arrests of the suspects took place too close to the shows, scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
“I understand very well that those who wanted to experience the concert live are very sad,” Nehammer told a news conference on Thursday. “But it’s also important that in such serious moments as now, it’s inevitable that safety comes first.”
British police said there was nothing to indicate that the planned attacks in Vienna would have any effect on Swift’s five final shows in Europe at Wembley Stadium in London.
