A failed terrorist plot targeting Taylor Swift’s sold-out concerts in Vienna has prompted significantly tightened security for her upcoming shows at Wembley Stadium in London.
On Thursday, Austrian authorities revealed that the two suspects arrested for plotting the attack were inspired by extremist ideologies, specifically the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda, the Associated Press reported.
The investigation found that one of the suspects, a 19-year-old Austrian of North Macedonian origin, had been planning the attack since July. He had recently pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and expressed his intention to “kill as many people as possible” outside the concert venue.
The 19-year-old had been stockpiling bomb-making materials at his home, and authorities discovered Islamic State and al-Qaeda propaganda at the home of the second suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian of Turkish and Croatian descent. Both suspects were arrested on Tuesday, with the 17-year-old refusing to cooperate with investigators.
The plot was foiled, leading to the cancellation of three highly anticipated concerts in Austria, originally scheduled for Thursday through Saturday. The Austrian government, under Chancellor Karl Nehammer, made the difficult decision to cancel the concerts just a day before they were due to begin, citing the proximity of the arrests to the concert dates as a major factor.
“Safety has to come first,” Nehammer said at a news conference, expressing his understanding of the frustration of fans, many of whom had traveled from around the world and spent thousands of dollars to attend the event.
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The attempted attack, which Austrian authorities believe could have caused mass casualties, has cast a shadow over Swift’s European tour. The suspects are believed to have planned to attack on Thursday or Friday, targeting crowds outside Vienna’s Ernst Happel Arena, where up to 65,000 fans were expected to attend each show, with 30,000 watching outside the venue.
The swift and decisive action by Austrian authorities, with the support of U.S. intelligence, is credited with preventing a tragedy reminiscent of past concert attacks, such as the 2017 bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people. The Manchester attack has since become a grim reference point for concert security at major events across Europe.
As the Grammy-winning singer prepares to kick off the next leg of her “The Eras” tour at London’s Wembley Stadium on August 15, security concerns have understandably escalated. However, London Mayor Sadiq Khan has assured fans that the concerts will go ahead as planned, stressing that the city’s authorities are well prepared to handle any potential threats.
“We will continue,” Khan said in an interview with Sky News published on Thursday, drawing a clear line between the situation in Vienna and the measures being taken in London.
In response to the Vienna incident, Wembley Stadium announced new safety protocols that will be implemented not only for Swift’s concerts but for all major events through 2024.
According to information leaked on X, formerly Twitter, security measures that will be implemented include increased security staff, the use of drug and explosive detection dogs, and restrictions on the size of bags allowed inside the venue. The goal is said to be to ensure that the venue remains a safe environment for all attendees, minimizing the risk of any dangerous incidents occurring.
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