According to authorities, several locations in Vienna were targeted, including the Ernst Happel Stadium, where Taylor Swift was due to perform.
Three Taylor Swift concerts scheduled in Vienna, Austria, as part of the Eras tour have been cancelled following the arrest of two men who authorities say were planning terrorist attacks at multiple locations in the city.
The concerts were scheduled for August 8-10. Initially, organizers had planned to hold the concerts with increased security. Police authorities said that “the real danger had been downplayed” according to NBC News. New details continue to emerge regarding the threats, which were discussed at a press conference by Franz Ruf, director general of Public Security, and Gerhard Purstl, chief of the Vienna police.
Chemical substances were discovered after the arrest of a 19-year-old who allegedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) after being radicalised via the internet. The other person arrested is also said to have pledged allegiance to the terrorist group. According to Franz Ruf, the seized substances are currently being analysed to determine whether they could be used to make a bomb.
A man was arrested in Vienna, while the 19-year-old, considered the main suspect, was detained in a town south of the capital, Ternitz. The authorities have not released any further information.
The Ernst Happel Stadium can hold over 50,000 spectators. Taylor Swift's three concerts were sold out. A five-date residency is planned at Wembley Stadium (London) next week, before returning to North America in November and December for the final leg of the Eras Tour.
