All of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour shows in Vienna have been cancelled after the Austian government confirmed news of a planned terror attack .
An announcement read: "We have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone's safety. All tickets will be refunded within he next 10 business days"
Two men have been apprehended by Austrian authorities on suspicion of planning a terror attack at the stadium.
A 19-year-old man was arrested at his family home in Ternitz, near Vienna in Lower Austria, and another man, whose identity has not been disclosed, was also taken into custody.
During the operation, police discovered chemicals and substances in the residence, but it remains unclear whether these could be used to create explosives. The arrests were executed by Austria's Cobra unit, a law enforcement division akin to the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team.
The suspects are believed to have devised a plot to target the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, where Swift is scheduled to perform three sold-out shows as part of her Eras Tour from Thursday to Saturday. Swift has not yet responded to the arrests.
Sabrina Carpenter has made a confession about Taylor Swift regarding claims over 'permission' for a Skims advertisement.
The 19 year old suspect, an Austrian citizen, is reported to have pledged his loyalty to the Islamic terrorist group ISIS last July.
The second suspect in the alleged terror plot is said to have been radicalised online. According to the police, the pair had specific and detailed plans for a terrorist attack.
It is currently uncertain whether the concerts will proceed as planned.
Franz Ruf, the Austrian Director General for Public Safety, on Wednesday confirmed that arrests have been made. "The suspected perpetrator was focused on the Taylor Swift concerts. Preparatory actions were detected," said Ruf.
"A concrete threat has been averted," he further added.
The Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung has reported that a green light for the gigs to proceed hasn't been assured yet. Their reports also note that possible co-conspirators in the scheme are under investigation.
If you're keen to get all the hottest updates direct to your inbox, why not subscribe to our FREE newsletters here.
As of now, the shows are still expected to go ahead, with security measures being ramped up for the event. An anticipated crowd of some 65,000 fans is projected to flock to each concert, and around 22,000 individuals are forecast to be outside the premises, according to Vienna's top cop, Gerhard Purstl.
Special ops teams will be deployed in the vicinity of the stadium, confirmed Purstl, along with sniffer dogs and anti-terror squads. He's urging concert-goers to come to the venue earlier to prevent any bottlenecks when entering the stadium.
This purported attack plot arises nearly seven years post the Manchester Arena atrocity, where a bomb attack struck after an Ariana Grande performance in Manchester, England. The violent act resulted in the death of 22 individuals, excluding the attacker, and inflicted injuries upon a thousand-plus people.
Most Popular
Comments / 0