A third person has been arrested by Austrian authorities in connection with the foiled terror plot to attack fans at Taylor Swift's now-cancelled Eras tour shows in Vienna this weekend. THE Associated Press said an unnamed 18-year-old man was arrested on Thursday afternoon (August 8) following the earlier arrests of the 19-year-old main suspect in the incident and a 17-year-old, who were both taken into custody on Tuesday.
At press time there was no additional information about the third suspect or the charges the three men may face in connection with what officials describe as plans to unleash a potentially catastrophic mass casualty event by the trio. The main suspect told police he planned to attack the Swifties who had gathered outside Ernst Happel Stadium for what were supposed to be three shows (August 8, 9, 10) at the 65,000-capacity venue.
Officials expected up to 30,000 ticketless fans to crowd outside the stadium each night, with the 19-year-old telling officials he planned to drive a vehicle into the crowd and attack concertgoers with knives or improvised explosive devices at Thursday or Friday night shows to “kill as many people as possible”.
The attack was reportedly inspired by terror groups al-Qaeda and Islamic State, with the main suspect and the 18-year-old arrested on Friday reportedly pledging “pledge of allegiance” to ISIS. During their search of the main suspect's home, police investigators said they found bomb-making materials, as well as Islamic State and al-Qaeda-related material in the 17-year-old's home. According to the AP, the latter has so far refused to speak to authorities, who also revealed that he had been hired earlier this week by a company that provided unspecified services to the venue for the expected performances.
The 18-year-old arrested on Friday is also said to have sworn allegiance to the terror groups and “comes from the social environment” of the prime suspect, but is not believed to be directly linked to the failed plot.
While breathing a sigh of relief that Austrian authorities foiled the plot before it took place, fallen Swifties who had traveled from around the world and Europe consoled themselves on the streets of Vienna on Thursday by gathering to sing Swift's songs and trade. friendship bracelets. Superfans flooded Corneliusgasse — a boulevard in Vienna named after Swift's song “Cornelia Street” — where they exchanged tour bracelets, hung them from trees and sang “But Daddy I Love Him” from Swift's Department of Tormented Poets album. In another silver-plated scene, a pair of Swifties got engaged on the streets of Vienna in a 'Love Story' come to life.
The Vienna shows were supposed to be the penultimate leg of Swift's European leg of her Eras tour. On Thursday, officials in the UK said there was no indication that Vienna's cancellation would have an impact on next week's start of a five-night stand (August 15-20) at London's Wembley Stadium.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-vienna-terror-plot-third-person-detained-1235750067/
