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After the arrest of two terror suspects who may have been planning an attack on an upcoming Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, organizers canceled Wednesday night’s concert in the federal capital. “Since government officials have confirmed a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel three planned shows for the sake of everyone’s safety,” organizers said on Instagram.
On Thursday, Taylor Swift (34) will give the first of three consecutive concerts in a packed Ernst Happel Stadium. According to estimates, around 170,000 fans are expected to attend the Austrian “Eras Tour”. The superstar has kept fans and the media busy for several weeks; “Swifties” from many countries have come to the federal capital.
As Interior Minister Gerhard Kana (ÖVP) stressed in a statement after the cancellation, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the police “did everything they could to ensure the safety of the event”. “Above all, close contact with foreign security authorities was essential,” Kana said. It is understood that the decision to cancel the three concerts was made by the organizers.
The investigation so far has made it possible to “minimize specific threats” and “contain a serious threat situation.” According to media reports, there are apparently other suspects and a search is underway for them. The police did not confirm this, only saying that the investigation is ongoing and that further investigative measures will of course be taken.
On Wednesday morning, the police detained a 19-year-old man in Ternitz (Neunkirchen district) in connection with the planned attack. In the afternoon, a further arrest took place in the federal capital. As Public Security Director Franz Ruff announced at a press conference, the 19-year-old is said to have “pledged allegiance to the Islamic State”. Chemical substances were also seized during the house search. These now have to be evaluated. The investigation is ongoing intensively.
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