BERLIN. An 18-year-old Iraqi national has been detained in Vienna amid investigations into a thwarted plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in the Austrian capital, Austria’s Interior Minister Gerhard Karner confirmed on Friday.
The detained Iraqi, who is linked to the primary suspect—a 19-year-old Austrian of North Macedonian descent—reportedly swore allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group on August 6. However, Karner stated that it remains unclear whether the Iraqi suspect had a direct role in the planned attack.
Further investigations are underway, with additional suspects to be questioned and properties to be searched. The primary suspect, who also pledged allegiance to IS, had intended to carry out a fatal assault at the Ernst Happel Stadium, where an estimated 20,000 fans were expected for Taylor Swift’s concerts. This security threat led to the cancellation of all three scheduled performances.
The 19-year-old suspect, who resigned from his job less than two weeks prior to the attack, has reportedly confessed fully to authorities. Alongside him, two other Austrian youths aged 17 and 15 were detained on Wednesday. The 17-year-old, who was employed by a company providing services at the stadium, has so far refused to cooperate, while the 15-year-old remains under intense questioning by police.
According to Karner, Austrian authorities received information about the threat from U.S. intelligence, as Austrian law does not permit the monitoring of instant messaging apps used by the suspects for communication.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer emphasized the importance of international cooperation: “Cooperation with foreign partners and services is essential and reciprocal. This made it possible to prevent a tragedy in Vienna.”
Taylor Swift, whose next concert is scheduled in London next week, has not publicly commented on the cancellation of the Vienna shows. British police have stated that there is no indication the Vienna plot poses any threat to the London performance.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
