Taylor Swift's Austria Shows Canceled Over Terror Plot — Here's What We Know
Key Facts
Concert promoter Barracuda Music said in a statement Wednesday that the Thursday, Friday and Saturday shows are canceled due to law enforcement confirming a planned terrorist attack, noting tickets will be automatically refunded.
One of the arrested men was a 19-year-old who allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS, the Associated Press reported, citing Vienna State Police Director Franz Ruf and Police Chief Gerhard Purstl.
Ruf said both suspects are believed to have been radicalized on the internet.
The two suspects allegedly had specific plans for carrying out the terror plot, with law enforcement finding chemicals and substances at one of their homes—though it has yet to be determined if the substances could have been used to create an explosive, according to NBC News.
The three shows were initially set to go on, albeit with heightened security, including bomb squads, heavy weapons teams, K-9 units and tactical vehicles, according to NBC.
What Do We Know About The Terror Plot?
In a press conference on Thursday morning, Austrian authorities told reporters the 19-year-old had been arrested in the town of Ternitz. They initially believed he was working alone but they later arrested a 17-year-old suspect near the concert venue in Vienna. The 19-year-old had quit his job last month and announced he was planning to do “big things,” while another 17-year-old arrested suspect had recently broken up with his girlfriend. Interior Ministry’s Public Security Director-General Franz Ruf said the 19-year-old has fully confessed his involvement. Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, Austria's Director of State Security and Intelligence, said the 19-year-old was planning to carry out the attack on either Thursday or Friday and the goal was to kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue by ramming them with a car, stabbing them with knives and machetes before detonating an explosive. Aside from bomb-making chemicals, police also recovered a functional explosive, ignition cables, blue lights meant to disguise cars as police vehicles and €21,000 ($23,000) in counterfeit notes. The 19-year-old had also uploaded an oath of allegiance to the leader of Islamic State terror group, officials said. The officials said they had been in touch with U.S. authorities on the matter, but did not comment on reports they had been tipped off about the plot by American intelligence.
Big Number
65,000. The number of fans expected to attend each of the three shows in Vienna along with roughly 15,000 people who were expected to gather outside the stadium without tickets, Reuters reported.
Crucial Quote
Calling the cancelation of the concerts a “bitter disappointment” for Taylor Swift fans in the country, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said: “The situation surrounding the apparently planned terrorist attack in Vienna was very serious...We live in a time when violent means are being used to attack our western way of life.”
Forbes Valuation
We estimate Swift’s real time net worth at $1.3 billion. Touring and royalties make up for nearly $600 million worth of the figure, as the singer-songwriter has been on tour since last March.
Key Background
Law enforcement has gotten involved on the European leg of Swift’s tour before. Just last month, police arrested a suspected stalker of Swift’s prior to a show in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The suspect was American and allegedly made threats toward Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, on social media. In 2017, 22 people were killed in a terrorist bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, Salman Abedi who carried the bomb into the concert venue in a backpack and detonated after the end of the show when attendees were leaving. More than 100 people were also injured in the attack.
Tangent
Country music singer-songwriter Morgan Wallen recently had one of his shows delayed by 40 minutes over a shooting threat made on social media. The man who specifically made the threat against two members of the Kansas City Chiefs present at the event said the social media post was a “stupid mistake” and was charged alongside a $15,000 bond set for his release, Billboard reported.
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