The authorities said the 18-year-old was connected to the main suspect and had recently sworn allegiance to the Islamic State.
Police officers looking down over a crowd of Taylor Swift fans in central Vienna on Thursday.Credit…Heinz-Peter Bader/Associated PressThe authorities in Vienna have arrested a third teenager in connection with a foiled terrorist attack on a Taylor Swift concert in the city this week.
They said that they believe that the man, an 18-year-old Iraqi citizen living in Austria who is connected to the main suspect, was not part of the plan but had been in touch with the plotters and had recently sworn allegiance to the Islamic State.
Ms. Swift was scheduled to stage three concerts in Vienna from Thursday through Saturday, but all three performances were canceled after the authorities arrested two teenagers over a plan to attack the sold-out, 50,000-seat stadium. Chancellor Karl Nehammer of Austria said the plot had been designed to leave a “trail of blood.”
Since arresting two other teenagers on Wednesday, the authorities have been racing to investigate the planned attack, although after what the police said was a full confession by the main suspect, they said there was no longer an imminent danger.
The police are looking into a network of people around the main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian citizen of North Macedonian descent who they said had radicalized himself online and sworn allegiance to the Islamic State.
Citing privacy rules, the authorities have declined to name the suspects publicly, but they said that both teenagers arrested on Wednesday were born in Austria and held Austrian citizenship.
On Friday, the interior minister, Gerhard Karner, announced that he was starting the process of revoking the Iraqi man’s residency permit, under a special provision designed to deal with dangerous refugees or immigrants, because of his recent pledge of allegience to the Islamic State.
The police have said that while he was not part of the plot, the man was in the same “social environment” as the main suspect and that he had contact with him.
During a raid on the main suspect’s house on Wednesday, the police said, officers found chemicals used to make bombs, as well as explosives, timers, machetes, knives and a functioning police siren, which investigators believe he planned to use to gain access to or move around the area around the stadium.
The police are currently in the process of forensically analyzing electronics and other items found in the search of the main suspect’s house.
The concert cancellations affected about 200,000 Taylor Swift fans, some of whom had traveled to Europe from other continents to see her perform as part of her Eras Tour. Ms. Swift has not commented publicly on the cancellations.
A 15-year-old boy who was held for questioning on Wednesday about the plot has been released and is being treated as a witness, the police said. They said that they had determined he was not part of the plot but that he knew many of its details and had helped corroborate some key elements of the main suspect’s confession.
News
Taylor Swift Quietly Donates Hundreds of Thousands of Meals to U.S. Food Banks
In a world where celebrity acts of kindness often come with grand gestures and media attention, Taylor Swift has chosen a different path. Since last March, the global superstar has reportedly been consistently supporting U.S. food banks, offering the equivalent…
Travis Kelce reacts to Taylor Swift’s VMAs 2024 speech thanking ‘magic’ boyfriend
Travis Kelce shared a subtle sign of support for his girlfriend, Taylor Swift, after she thanked him at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday. The Kansas City Chiefs “liked” an Instagram video the network posted of the “Blank…
Shocking Photo Shows Las Vegas Aces Player Grabbing Caitlin Clark By The Throat And Ripping Her To The Floor During Brutal Foul In The Paint H
Caitlin Clark (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) The spotlight on Caitlin Clark during her rookie season may be brighter than ever on a WNBA player. The former Iowa Hawkeyes superstar is finding out the hard way that things are not…
Caitlin Clark told her BFF Kate Martin to ‘come guard me’ before Fever vs. Aces
Sep 11, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Las Vegas Aces guard Kate Martin (20) and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22), both former Iowa Hawkeyes, reunite Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, during a game between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas…
Where to watch Las Vegas Aces vs Indiana Fever? Date, time, streaming options, and more
The Indiana Fever hosts the two-time defending champions Las Vegas Aces for the final time this 2024 WNBA season. Both teams met earlier this week where the Aces trounced Caitlin Clark and Co. 86-75 in a game that saw A’ja…
Caitlin Clark’s Record-Breaking Performance Secures Rookie of the Year, Sparking Racial Bias Debate
Caitlin Clark has just been named WNBA Rookie of the Year following an impressive performance. The debate over the award has often centered on whether to prioritize rebounds and double-doubles or points and assists, as both Clark and Angel Reese…
End of content
No more pages to load