Bomb-Making Materials Found Ahead of Taylor Swift’s Austria Concert

The day after Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna, Austria, were canceled, new details were unveiled about a planned terrorist attack on the venue.

Austrian officials disclosed that bomb-making materials were discovered, and one of the two detained suspects confessed to wanting to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue,” as reported by The Associated Press.

Swift had scheduled performances in the Austrian capital on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday as part of her Eras Tour. All shows at the Ernst Happel Stadium were sold out. The planned attack was intended for either Thursday or Friday’s concert by two individuals reportedly inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida.

The 19-year-old suspect started planning in July and had recently uploaded an oath of allegiance to the current Islamic State militia leader. He intended to use knives or homemade explosives at the venue, and ultimately made a full confession, according to Reuters.

Officials said the suspects were radicalized online. Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner noted that foreign intelligence agencies aided the investigation, as Austrian law does not allow the monitoring of messenger apps. U.S. intelligence agencies and Europol provided Austria with information on the planned attack via ABC News’ reports.

Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of the Austrian Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, said the primary suspect was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State and believes it is right to kill infidels,” as per the AP. During their investigation, officials found chemical substances and devices.

At the home of the second suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian who had worked for a company providing services at the concert venue, authorities uncovered materials related to the Islamic State group and al-Qaida. He was detained near the stadium.

ABC News reported that although the planned attack was inspired by ISIS, it did not appear to have been directed by the terrorist organization. Due to Austrian privacy laws, the names of the suspects were not disclosed.

Barracuda Music, the concert promoters, announced the three-night cancellation on Instagram, stating that due to “confirmation of [a] planned terrorist attack,” they had “no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.” Ticket refunds will be processed automatically within the next 10 business days.

Initially, organizers aimed to increase security at the concert with police dog units and anti-terror teams before announcing the cancellations, as reported by The Washington Post.

Austria’s Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler expressed that the cancellations shattered a dream for many. “On three evenings in Vienna, tens of thousands of #Swifties should have celebrated life together,” he wrote.

Chancellor Karl Nehammer labeled it “a bitter disappointment for all fans in Austria” on X.

Some fans had traveled significant distances. One fan, Tiffany Kidd, 41, flew from Arizona, spending $5,000 for her trip. Having planned her journey for a year, she called the cancellation “heartbreaking for sure” but was also relieved to avoid potential danger, according to CNN.

Another fan, Kardelen Kocakcigil, 30, traveled 24 hours from Toronto to Istanbul to Vienna, spending $2,100. She had planned her trip around the concert, eager to meet friends and explore Taylor Swift-themed attractions in the city. “Now I don’t have any itinerary, and my friends are not coming due to safety concerns. This trip turned from something I was looking forward to for over a year to aimless, expensive travel,” she told CNN.

The Washington Post noted that the plot bore similarities to other threats against events in Europe this summer. However, Reuters reported that there is currently no indication of explicit threats to other concerts.

Coldplay is scheduled to perform at the same stadium on Aug. 21. Live Nation, the concert promoter, stated it is working with law enforcement but hasn’t confirmed if the concert will proceed.

The next stop on Taylor Swift’s tour is London’s Wembley Stadium for a five-night event starting on Aug. 15, marking the end of the European leg of the Eras Tour. The tour will resume in Toronto on Nov. 14 after a few months’ hiatus.