In addition to having found the chemicals needed to build a bomb, the main suspect in planning the attacks against Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna intended to drive a car into the crowd which was expected outside the Ernst Happel stadium and use knives and axes during the attack. The 19-year-old confessed on Thursday that he wanted to “kill a lot of people.”

Searches at the home of the 19-year-old Austrian, who swore allegiance to Islamic State, showed that the suspect, arrested in the town of Ternitz, about 65 kilometres southwest of Vienna, was carrying out “concrete preparatory actions”. Chemical substances and technological devices used to build a bomb were seized. Blueprints were also found that indicated the intention to ram the crowd and attack spectators with knives, according to Austrian newspaper Kurier.

At a press conference, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, director of the Austrian Information Services (DSN), reported on “full confession” of the young man, who “intended to commit an attack with explosives and sharp weapons.” “His objective was commit suicide and a large number of people, today [esta quinta-feira] “Or tomorrow, during the concert,” he added, stating that he intended to “kill a large number of people.”

Authorities found material from the terrorist groups Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaida in the home of one of the suspects.

Another suspect was arrested on Wednesday, Austrian police said at a press conference. The second suspect is a 17-year-old boy who, like the first, was radicalised via the internet. Although the authorities have stopped the attack, police are still looking for three other possible suspects.

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The shows, part of the Eras Tour, which passed through Lisbon in May, were scheduled for this Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Ernst Happel Stadium. “Due to the confirmation by government officials of a planned terrorist attack, we have no other option but to cancel the three planned shows for the safety of everyone,” the concert promoter said on Wednesday night.

Two men, one of them linked to Daesh, planned attacks against Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna. Singer cancels shows

“With authorities confirming a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel all three shows for the safety of everyone,” promoter Barracuda Music said in a post on Instagram.

The Austrian multinational says it “avoided tragedy” and reveals that the attack would have been “very serious.” Tickets for the three concerts will be refunded within 10 days.

Austria’s foreign minister believes the country has “averted a tragedy” by arresting two suspected terrorists who were planning attacks at three concerts scheduled for this week in the capital. Karl Nehammer said that “intensive cooperation” between the police and the State Directorate for Information and Security, which is part of the Interior Ministry, enabled the threat to be “detected in time” and combated.

Die Absage der Taylor Swift Konzerte durch die Veranstalter ist für alle Fans in Österreich eine herbe Enttäuschung. Die Situation rund um den offenbar geplanten Terroranschlag in Wien war sehr ernst. Dank der intensive Zusammenarbeit unserer Polizei und dem neu aufgebauten DSN…

—Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) August 7, 2024

“The situation surrounding the apparently planned terrorist attack in Vienna was very serious,” the diplomat said in a statement posted on the social network X.

In a statement released by Taylor Swift’s show promoter, it is stated that “all tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days.” So far, the artist has not publicly commented on the cancellation of the shows.

The “Swifties,” the name for Taylor Swift’s fans, are hanging beaded bracelets on a “friendship bracelet tree” in Vienna, Austria, after all three of her scheduled concerts were cancelled, with no mention of any rescheduling. Around 65,000 spectators were expected at each of the scheduled shows.

The next dates of the American singer’s world tour are on August 15, 16, 17, 19 and 20, at Wembley Stadium in London. He then takes a break until November 14 and heads to Canada, with nine concerts scheduled in Toronto and Vancouver.