Counter-Terrorism in Austria: Arrest of Two Terror Suspects and Cancellation of Taylor Swift Concerts in Vienna
In a worrying development, two people suspected of planning a terrorist attack on events in Vienna have been arrested. During a house search in Lower Austria, chemical substances were seized that were to be used for the attacks.
The Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior prevented terrorist plans that may have targeted Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna. / Picture: © BMI Bundesministerium für Inneres / Alexander Tuma
The Director General for Public Security at the Ministry of the Interior, Franz Ruf, and the Vienna Provincial Police Chief, Gerhard Pürstl, informed about the latest findings of the police investigation at a press conference. "Thanks to close cooperation between the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence and the State Security and Counter-Extremism Offices of Lower Austria and Vienna, the Federal Criminal Police Office, the Lower Austrian State Criminal Police Office and the Special Forces Directorate, Cobra Task Force, a targeted raid was carried out this morning following a corresponding order from the Wiener Neustadt public prosecutor's office," said Ruf.
A 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested in Ternitz in the morning and another person in Vienna in the afternoon. Both suspects had become radicalized on the Internet and had made concrete preparations for a terrorist attack. The main suspect had sworn allegiance to IS on the internet and chemical substances were found in his apartment.
Major events as a target?
Given the current assessments of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, the Vienna Provincial Police Directorate has increased security precautions, particularly at major events. This applies in particular to the upcoming Taylor Swift concerts, where an increased deployment of police officers in civilian and uniform clothing as well as special units such as WEGA and the police dog unit is planned. Mobile and stationary video surveillance and increased monitoring of the airspace are also part of the security measures.
Despite these precautions, concert promoter Barracuda Music announced, as reported by ORF, that the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna will be canceled. "Due to confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone's safety," Barracuda wrote on Instagram. All tickets will be automatically refunded within the next ten working days.
On Thursday, Taylor Swift would have given her first of three consecutive concerts in the sold-out Ernst Happel Stadium. According to estimates, around 170,000 fans were expected on the Eras tour in Austria. Fans and media had been preparing for the concerts for weeks and many "Swifties" had traveled to the Austrian capital, especially for the event.
The cancellation was preceded by a large-scale operation by the Austrian police in Ternitz in Lower Austria, during which the 19-year-old suspect was arrested. He is said to have radicalized himself on the Internet in recent months and swore allegiance to the current leader of IS at the beginning of July. According to the police, Swift's Vienna concerts were also the focus of the attack plans. Another arrest was made in Vienna on Wednesday afternoon, but no further details about this person have yet been released.
The investigation is still ongoing and details are expected to be released soon. The Vienna police are in close contact with the organizers to ensure comprehensive security precautions. Special measures for access control and personal searches as well as traffic closures will ensure that upcoming events can take place safely despite the heightened terror alert level.