Austrian teens arrested for plotting attack likely inspired by Islamic State
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The news: Two Austrians aged 19 and 17, arrested for plotting an attack on Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna this week, appeared inspired by Islamic State and al-Qaida, authorities said Thursday.
The numbers: Swift's three concerts scheduled at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium this week were cancelled following the arrests, the promoter, Barracuda Music, said late Wednesday citing safety concerns confirmed by Austrian officials.
The main suspect, a 19-year-old male, confessed to planning to use explosives and knives to cause mass casualties outside the stadium, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, the head of Austria's domestic intelligence agency said.
"His aim was to kill himself and a large number of people during the concert, either today or tomorrow," Haijawi-Pirchner said. He was “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State and thinks it is right to kill infidels,” he added.
Extremist propaganda and al-Qaida material was also found at the home of the second younger suspect, who officials said had Turkish and Croatian roots and had recently broken up with his girlfriend.
No other suspects were being sought, though a 15-year old who had been in contact with the other two was also interrogated by police, the AP reported.
The context: The plot comes just over a week after a knife attack by a 17-year old boy at a Taylor Swift-themed event in the UK left three young girls dead and ten other people injured.
At the time, Swift said she was “completely in shock” over the attack but has not spoken publicly about the plot or cancelled shows this week.
The sources: The Associated Press , Deutsche Welle
