A third suspect, an 18-year-old Iraqi male, has been arrested in relation to the alleged plot attack targeting Taylor Swift‘s now canceled concerts in Vienna, Austria’s interior minister Gerhard Karner said during a media briefing on Friday.
The 18-year-old is believed to have been associated with the primary suspect, Beran A who is a 19-year-old Austrian national with North Macedonian heritage, interior minister Gerhard Karner said.
The suspect, an Iraqi national, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group on August 6. However, authorities are still investigating whether he was directly involved in the foiled attack, Karner said.
As the investigation continues, more individuals will be interrogated, and additional locations will be searched, he added.
The primary suspect, who had also sworn loyalty to IS, intended to carry out a deadly attack targeting the roughly 20,000 “Swiftie” fans set to gather outside Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, prompting the cancellation of all three shows due to security concerns.
According to police, one of the suspects has confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue”, The Guardian reported.
The head of Austria’s directorate of state security and intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner said the 19-year-old had “clearly been radicalised in the direction of the Islamic State and considers it right to kill infidels”.
The 19-year-old individual, who resigned from his employment just 12 days prior to the intended assault, claimed he “had big plans”, and admitted to the crime while in custody, as per official statements.
Authorities also arrested two other Austrian youths , aged 17 and 15, on Wednesday in connection with the alleged conspiracy.
The 17-year-old suspect, who had been employed by a firm that was offering services at the stadium, has thus far declined to provide any testimony, Karner said. A 15-year-old boy, who is an Austrian citizen with Turkish roots, is also being interrogated by law enforcement authorities in connection with the case.
According to The Guardian, addressing the disappointed fans directly on Thursday Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer said: “I understand very well that those who wanted to experience the concert live are very sad. Mums and dads are caring for their daughters and sons, who had been full of enthusiasm and excitement about this concert. But it’s also important that in such serious moments like now, safety inevitably has to come first.”
“Cooperation with foreign partners and services is essential and reciprocal. This made it possible to prevent a tragedy in Vienna,” he added.
According to reports, US intelligence agencies provided Austrian authorities with information regarding the potential threat at the Swift concert, as the suspects allegedly communicated through instant messaging applications, which cannot be monitored under Austrian law.
The 18-year-old is believed to have been associated with the primary suspect, Beran A who is a 19-year-old Austrian national with North Macedonian heritage, interior minister Gerhard Karner said.
The suspect, an Iraqi national, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group on August 6. However, authorities are still investigating whether he was directly involved in the foiled attack, Karner said.
As the investigation continues, more individuals will be interrogated, and additional locations will be searched, he added.
The primary suspect, who had also sworn loyalty to IS, intended to carry out a deadly attack targeting the roughly 20,000 “Swiftie” fans set to gather outside Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, prompting the cancellation of all three shows due to security concerns.
According to police, one of the suspects has confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue”, The Guardian reported.
The head of Austria’s directorate of state security and intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner said the 19-year-old had “clearly been radicalised in the direction of the Islamic State and considers it right to kill infidels”.
The 19-year-old individual, who resigned from his employment just 12 days prior to the intended assault, claimed he “had big plans”, and admitted to the crime while in custody, as per official statements.
Authorities also arrested two other Austrian youths , aged 17 and 15, on Wednesday in connection with the alleged conspiracy.
The 17-year-old suspect, who had been employed by a firm that was offering services at the stadium, has thus far declined to provide any testimony, Karner said. A 15-year-old boy, who is an Austrian citizen with Turkish roots, is also being interrogated by law enforcement authorities in connection with the case.
According to The Guardian, addressing the disappointed fans directly on Thursday Austrian chancellor Karl Nehammer said: “I understand very well that those who wanted to experience the concert live are very sad. Mums and dads are caring for their daughters and sons, who had been full of enthusiasm and excitement about this concert. But it’s also important that in such serious moments like now, safety inevitably has to come first.”
“Cooperation with foreign partners and services is essential and reciprocal. This made it possible to prevent a tragedy in Vienna,” he added.
According to reports, US intelligence agencies provided Austrian authorities with information regarding the potential threat at the Swift concert, as the suspects allegedly communicated through instant messaging applications, which cannot be monitored under Austrian law.
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