Taylor Swift concerts canceled after 2 arrested in Vienna for alleged terrorist attack plans. Aug 2024

[DS2021]

Taylor Swift concerts canceled after 2 arrested in Vienna for alleged terrorist attack plans: "A tragedy prevented"

Authorities say two suspected extremists believed to be tied to ISIS appeared to be planning an attack on an event in the Vienna area.

www.google.com

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows in Vienna, Austria, have been canceled after government officials confirmed an alleged ISIS-linked terrorist plot to attack large events, organizers said Wednesday.

"With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone's safety," Barracuda Music, the concerts' organizer, said in an online post.

 

[dotr]

Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna canceled after Austrian police say foiled terrorist plot targeted shows

Two people were arrested in what police said were terrorist plots at major events in Vienna. One was a 19-year-old who authorities said pledged his allegiance to ISIS.

www.nbcnews.com

''Swift has spoken about her concerns of a terrorist attack at one of her stadium shows. In 2019, she told Elle magazine it was her biggest fear.

"After the Manchester Arena bombing and the Vegas concert shooting, I was completely terrified to go on tour this time because I didn’t know how we were going to keep 3 million fans safe over seven months," Swift said ahead of the Lover Tour, which was then canceled because of Covid.

She added, "There was a tremendous amount of planning, expense, and effort put into keeping my fans safe."

"My fear of violence has continued into my personal life," she said. "I carry QuikClot army grade bandage dressing, which is for gunshot or stab wounds."

 

[Rikissa]

Two held in Vienna over Taylor Swift concert threat

Security measures at the singer's gigs are tightened after the arrest of two people suspected of planning attacks.

www.bbc.com

 

[Elley Mae]

The teenager, said to have North Macedonian roots, is considered the main suspect, and worked closely with a 17-year-old Austrian, general director for public security Frankz Ruf told the broadcaster ORF.

The 17-year-old, who has Turkish and Croatian roots, had started a job at the concert venue days before the event was cancelled over the terror threat, according to officials.

Taylor Swift terror plot suspect 'planned to kill as many people as possible'

Two teenagers, aged 19 and 17, were arrested over plans to carry out a terror attack at a Taylor Swift concert set to take place in Vienna this weekend.

news.sky.com

 

[DS2021]

Taylor Swift terror attack suspects 'hired as security guards' for concert

Two suspected extremists have been arrested while a manhunt is underway for a third suspect

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Taylor Swift terror attack suspects 'hired as security guards' for concert had 'chemical bomb'

The teenager reportedly planned to drive a car into the 20,000 fans standing outside the stadium during the concerts before attacking with machetes and knives.

 

[DS2021]

The teenager, said to have North Macedonian roots, is considered the main suspect, and worked closely with a 17-year-old Austrian, general director for public security Frankz Ruf told the broadcaster ORF.

The 17-year-old, who has Turkish and Croatian roots, had started a job at the concert venue days before the event was cancelled over the terror threat, according to officials.

Taylor Swift terror plot suspect 'planned to kill as many people as possible'

Two teenagers, aged 19 and 17, were arrested over plans to carry out a terror attack at a Taylor Swift concert set to take place in Vienna this weekend.

news.sky.com

Friends of one of the suspects arrested for the foiled ISIS attack at a Taylor Swift concert were reportedly hired as security guards and stewards for the show.

The alleged associates were hired by a security company and by a stewarding service to help with the setup for Taylor's Vienna show. Two men were arrested after plotting to carry out a terror attack at the concert.

Taylor Swift attacker 'had accomplices hired as security guards' for concert

Taylor Swift had to cancel her upcoming concerts in Austria after two men were arrested for allegedly planning a terrorist attack on her performances in Vienna

www.google.com

So there seems to be some conflicting reports

 

[dotr]

Toronto resident who travelled to Vienna 'heartbroken' after Taylor Swift concerts cancelled

A Toronto resident who travelled to Vienna to see Taylor Swift is 'heartbroken' that the Eras Tour concerts in the Austrian capital were cancelled but says she understands the decision.

www.cp24.com

''Kimmel recounted that she and her friends were at a restaurant outside Vienna when they heard about the news. She said that when they got back to their hotel, her friend who bought the tickets got an email confirming that the concert had been cancelled and that a refund would be available.

"They didn't give the exact reason. They just kind of gave a very broad overview of due to circumstances," said Kimmel, who had been preparing the whole day for the concert.

She noted that earlier, she had met Canadians and other Swift fans from all over the world who had travelled to Vienna for the Eras Tour. "People are coming in from everywhere to see Taylor," Kimmel said.

While she was sad that the concert wouldn't be happening, the Toronto resident was "grateful" that organizers were thinking about everyone's safety.''

 

[Dotta]

Wow!
The August concerts in Warsaw in my country Poland were performed without any problems.
The atmosphere was fantastic.
We had fans from the whole Europe
Everybody had the best time.

What a pity for Vienna.

 

[Kittybunny]

This is really really terrifying. These guys are using some of the elaborate planning and tactics that made the 9/11 attacks successful. Plant operatives on the inside, give them access, and then they attack. Poor Taylor and her fans. Especially in light of what recently happened in the UK at that Taylor-themed dance class where 9 beautiful little girls were stabbed. Now I'm wondering if the attacker there wasn't radicalized or inspired by something like this?

 

[Dotta]

This is really really terrifying. These guys are using some of the elaborate planning and tactics that made the 9/11 attacks successful. Plant operatives on the inside, give them access, and then they attack. Poor Taylor and her fans. Especially in light of what recently happened in the UK at that Taylor-themed dance class where 9 beautiful little girls were stabbed. Now I'm wondering if the attacker there wasn't radicalized or inspired by something like this?

It's the price for immense popularity.

It is a magnet to all kinds of weirdos.

Such concerts are security headaches.

JMO

 

[Elley Mae]

The older teen had quit his job on July 25 and told people he had “something big” planned, while the 17-year-old recently broke up with his girlfriend, Ruf said.

A 15-year-old boy was also taken in for questioning Wednesday after the sinister plans were uncovered, though it was unclear if he had been arrested.

Taylor Swift ISIS bombing suspect pictured holding dual knives as chilling details of terrorist plot revealed

The teen suspects arrested for plotting an ISIS-style terror attack at one of Taylor Swift’s Austrian concerts this week had planned to drive a bomb-riddled car into the crowd to kill as many…

nypost.com

Meanwhile, both older suspects had been under surveillance by Austrian authorities and were known risks before their arrests, officials said.

 

[Dotta]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1821554853769801959

https://twitter.com/x/status/1821540461833547922

 

[dotr]

rbbm

ISIS and al Qaeda material found at home of second suspect in foiled Taylor Swift concert attack

Investigators said they found extensive material related to ISIS and al Qaeda at the home of a 17-year-old Austrian citizen.

www.cbsnews.com

''Some fans who are missing out now that the Vienna Eras Tour shows have been cancelled started looking for tickets to Taylor Swift's upcoming London performances, which are scheduled to take place between August 15th and August 20th.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said Thursday that U.K. officials had learned lessons from a 2017 attack during an Ariana Grande concert at northwest England's Manchester Arena in which a suicide bomber killed 22 people.

"I'm sure Vienna has got its own reasons to cancel the Taylor Swift concerts. We're going to carry on, working closely with police (and) ensuring that the Taylor Swift concerts can take place in London safely," Khan told U.K. broadcaster Sky News on Thursday''

 

[DS2021]

Taylor Swift ISIS bombing suspect pictured holding dual knives as chilling details of terrorist plot revealed

The teen suspects arrested for plotting an ISIS-style terror attack at one of Taylor Swift’s Austrian concerts this week had planned to drive a bomb-riddled car into the crowd to kill as many…

nypost.com

The newyork post is reporting they planned to put explosives into the vehicle and then drive it into the crowd

 

[dotr]

A Taylor Swift concert is a night of 'freedom and fun'. It's also an appealing terror target

Experts say large-scale concert venues are a "matter of opportunity" for political extremists.

www.abc.net.au

''For young girls, a Taylor Swift concert has everything they want — a night of fun, dancing and enjoying their favourite pop star alongside thousands of their peers.''

''But after an alleged terror plot led to multiple concerts in Vienna being cancelled, experts have said some of those same factors are what make a stadium concert an appealing terror target.''

''There were 146 terrorist attacks on concerts and festivals between 1970 and 2019, killing at least 802 people across 37 countries, according to a 2023 peer-reviewed report.

The study, published in Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, labelled concerts "vulnerable soft targets".

"Concerts and festivals cause an influx of people at a specific time into a specific space, resulting in three target groups," the report said.

"[These three are] attendees and emergency first responders, being soft targets, and governmental/security personnel.''

 

[dotr]

The way these teen boys target girls, gives a whole new ugly meaning to the term ''love-bombing'', imo.

3rd person in custody over foiled plot targeting now-canceled Taylor Swift shows in Vienna

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said an 18-year-old was taken into custody Thursday evening in Vienna after allegedly being in contact with the main suspect.

www.thestar.com

''The main suspect, a 19-year-old, planned to target onlookers gathered outside Ernst Happel Stadium — up to 30,000 each night, with another 65,000 inside the venue — with knives or homemade explosives during the concert on Thursday or Friday. The suspect hoped to “kill as many people as possible,” authorities said.
In Austria, the 19-year-old main suspect — as well as a 17-year-old — were taken into custody Tuesday, officials said. The third suspect, an 18-year-old, was arrested Thursday evening, the interior minister said at an unrelated news conference Friday.''

Toronto, Canada & Global Breaking News – CP24

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Austrian police officers watch Swifties gathering in the city centre in Vienna on Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024.
'Swift’s Toronto leg of the Eras Tour at the Rogers Centre starts on Nov. 14 and Chow said the city will be ready.
“It's less than 100 days before Taylor Swift comes to Toronto, and I have full confidence that between all our security folks, whether it's the federal and the local, we will keep everyone safe and sound. I am not worried at all. And no cancellation, because the Swifties will be so disappointed,” she said.'

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Yep, they wanted to kill as many girls and women as possible.

 

[Tealgrove]

What an incredibly sad world we live in.

And these guys are teens? So much hatred garnered in so little time.

Makes me ill.

MOO

 

[dotr]

Aug 9, 2024
Taylor Swift canceled her three Vienna shows in response to threats of a terrorist attack. Among disappointment and fear following the unprecedented cancellations, broken hearted Swifties came together in the city’s center Thursday, swaying their arms in sync and belting out lyrics from songs in the star’s discography.

 

[Lilibet]

I think too of the trauma Taylor herself has faced. A fan died in the heat at a Rio concert in Brazil. Three little girls were stabbed to death in England at a dance class featuring Taylor’s music…plus others seriously injured, and then the resulting racist riots. And now this! She’s not responsible, but it must be almost too much of a weighty sorrow to bear that no amount of money eases. Sending her hugs!

Looking at Taylor’s schedule, she has all of September and half of October free, so I hope she can relax and regroup. Our daughter is going to one of her concerts in Indianapolis in early November. She will turn 54 then, so she’s a pretty old Swiftie! I think it’s great!

Taylor Swift – The Eras Tour Dates

US DATES / March 17th, 2023: Glendale, Arizona / March 18th, 2023: Glendale, Arizona / March 24th, 2023: Las Vegas, Nevada / March 25th, 2023: Las Vegas, Nevada / March 31st, 2023

genius.com