Main suspect in Taylor Swift concert attack backed Islamic State, says Austria

The main suspect among three Austrian teenagers detained over a planned attack on a Taylor Swift concert had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group and had chemical substances at his home, authorities said.

The central suspect, a 19-year-old male with North Macedonian roots, was detained along with two other youths aged 17 and 15, officials said after the plot was announced on Wednesday to the shock of “Swiftie” fans globally.

Austria’s general director for public security Frankz Ruf told ORF radio on Thursday that chemical substances and technical devices, showing “concrete preparatory actions”, were found at the 19-year-old’s house in the town of Ternitz.

He had sworn allegiance to Islamic State’s leader, he added, citing internet evidence.

Swift’s three concerts in Vienna, expected to draw 195,000 people, were cancelled.

“It’s just heartbreaking, just frustrating. But at the end of the day I guess it’s for everyone’s safety,” said Mark del Rosario, who had flown from the Philippines for the show.

The Kurier newspaper, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that the suspect had stolen the chemicals from his former workplace, a metal processing company also in Ternitz, and had made progress in building a bomb.

The newspaper reported that he had planned to drive a car into the crowd expected to gather outside the stadium, and had also considered using machetes and knives.

Austria’s interior ministry and intelligence service were not immediately available for comment on the report’s details, and Reuters was unable to verify it.

The case has illustrated risks to stadium shows, music festivals and other large gatherings, with the planned attack echoing a foiled plot by three Islamic State-linked suspects against Vienna’s gay pride parade last year.

Authorities have revamped their national security intelligence in the wake of a 2020 attack by a convicted jihadist in the centre of Vienna that left four dead, the first such militant attack in the Austrian capital in a generation.

FANS IN SHOCK

According to US broadcaster ABC, citing law enforcement and intelligence sources, Austrian authorities had received information about the Swift concert threat from US intelligence.

It cited the sources as saying at least one of the suspects had pledged allegiance to ISIS-K, a resurgent wing of Islamic State, on Telegram in June but the alleged plot was Islamic State-inspired rather than directed by the group’s operatives.

Ruf said there was a constant exchange of information with foreign partners, which together with Austrian authorities’ own intelligence had solidified into a specific threat situation.

The shows were to be part of the record-breaking Eras Tour by the American singer-songwriter which started on March 17, 2023, in Glendale, Arizona, US, and is set to conclude on Dec. 8, 2024, in Vancouver, Canada.

Swift, 34, has not yet commented on the cancellations on her official Instagram account which has 283 million followers.

Her fans were horrified at the threat, with some begging organizers to postpone the concert instead of cancelling it outright. Promoters have said they will pay back tickets.

“i can’t believe the concert i’ve been waiting for over 10 years is now gone. i don’t think i’ll ever get over this,” said one fan on social media.

“As disappointing as not being able to go to this concert is TRUST ME u do not want to experience that,” added another.

Some who had travelled from abroad for the concerts planned to do some sightseeing or hang with friends instead.

“We’ll check out some museums, maybe catch up with a few friends who reside here,” said del Rosario. “But apart from that, maybe look at Swiftie organised events. To be with fellow fans, you know, share the same pain and just dance it out. As I believe Taylor Swift would want us to have fun.”