Officials of the Austrian government revealed on Thursday that the two suspects who were involved in the foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna appeared to be inspired by both the Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaida. Investigations conducted discovered bomb-making equipment at one of the suspects’ homes. One of the suspects, according to reports, confessed to planning an attack to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.”
The cancellation of the singer’s concert on Wednesday devastated Taylor Swift fans, or “Swifties,” as they are mostly called. Swifties across the globe had spent thousands of euros and dollars to travel and secure accommodation in Vienna, only to get to the venue and discover that the Ernst Happel Stadium was empty on Thursday morning, where the Eras Tour shows were supposed to be held.
The concert planners had already anticipated crowds of up to 65,000 to attend the stadium for each of the three shows, with an extra 30,000 onlookers outside. Austria’s interior minister, Gerhard Karner, said that the suspects had planned to strike on Thursday or Friday, targeting large gatherings.
Authorities’ investigation discovered the main suspect as a 19-year-old who confessed to planning the attack plan last month. He was reported last week to have uploaded an oath of allegiance to the current leader of the Islamic State group online.
Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, who is the country’s head of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, said that the suspect was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State and was brainwashed to believe that he has a right to kill infidels.”
Haijawi-Pirchner also revealed that the suspect wanted to use homemade explosives or knives in the attack. Investigators found chemical substances and technical devices, showing “concrete preparatory acts,” during a raid at the suspect’s residence in Ternitz, south of Vienna, as stated by Franz Ruf, director general for public security at the Ministry of the Interior.
Islamic State group and al-Qaida materials were seen at the home of the other suspect, who is a 17-year-old. He was just employed by a company providing services at the concert venue. Authorities revealed that he is an Austrian with Turkish and Croatian roots, whereas the 19-year-old is an Austrian with North Macedonian roots, and this suspect has so far refused to speak.
The North Macedonian Interior Ministry says that it received a request from Austria to prosecute the 19-year-old suspect. While they were both arrested on Tuesday, their identities remain undisclosed per Austrian privacy laws.
The investigation helped authorities discover significant social changes in the ways that the suspects’ behavior The 19-year-old suspect had recently quit his job but claimed to have “big plans,” while the 17-year-old ended a relationship with his girlfriend.