2 arrested in Vienna over alleged plans to attack Taylor Swift concerts, other big events

Two suspected extremists were arrested in Austria on Wednesday, one of whom appeared to be planning an attack on a major event in the Vienna area such as upcoming Taylor Swift concerts, authorities said.

The 19-year-old main suspect was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, and the second person in the Austrian capital.

Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria’s interior ministry, said that authorities were aware of “preparatory actions” for a possible attack “and also that there is a focus by the 19-year-old perpetrator on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna,” the Austria Press Agency reported.

A “targeted raid was carried out this morning,” coordinated by various state and city law enforcement offices, Ruf said.

The Austrian Interior Ministry said that both suspects had become radicalized on the internet and made “concrete preparations for a terrorist attack.” Ruf said the 19-year-old Austrian citizen had pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State group in July. 

Ruf also said that chemical substances were seized from the main suspect’s home and were being evaluated. He didn’t give more details.

Swift has concerts scheduled at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as part of her Eras Tour. Ruf said the concerts will attract audiences of up to 65,000, with thousands more expected to congregate outside the stadium.

Security measures for the concerts will be stepped up to include the deployment of police officers in both civilian clothes and uniform, video surveillance, a police dog unit and other special law enforcement units, Provincial Police President Gerhard Pürstl said. 

The airspace will also be monitored, and traffic blocks will be set up to ensure limited access to the parking lots and stadium entrances, the ministry said, adding that the terror alert level in Austria remains high.

Vienna police chief Pürstl said that, while any concrete danger had been minimized, an abstract risk justified raising security. Concertgoers should expect longer wait times, Ruf warned.