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

August 9, 2024

The teenage suspects in a plot to carry out a terror attack at now-cancelled Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna were planning to use knives or homemade explosives to kill as many people as possible, according to officials.

A 19-year-old main suspect was aiming to “kill himself and a large crowd at the concert either today or tomorrow,” the head of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, said.

The suspect, (an) Austrian citizen, identified as Beran A, who is said to have North Macedonian roots, wanted to use the weapons outside the Ernst Happel Stadium to kill as many people as possible, Mr Haijawi-Pirchner said during a news conference on Thursday.

He said the suspect was “clearly radicalised in the direction of the Islamic State (IS) and thinks it is right to kill infidels”.

A search of his parents home south of Vienna uncovered homemade explosives, detonators, machetes and knives. Investigators revealed that Beran A, whose parents come from North Macedonia, stole chemicals from his former metalworking company to build a bomb to murder spectators. Beran A has now been pictured, bearded and posing with knives,

…his neighbours revealed he had dramatically changed his appearance recently. Residents of Ternitz told Austrian media that the suspect used to be a “harmless boy from next door” who wore jeans and trainers. But his neighbours noted that he had recently changed his appearance, growing a long beard and was often seen wearing a long-sleeved cotton shirt.

A second suspect, said to be a 17-year-old Austrian citizen with a Turkish and Croatian background, had started a job at the concert venue days before the Taylor Swift shows were cancelled over the terror threat, according to officials. He was employed a few days ago by a facilities company providing services at the venue during the concerts, according to officials. He was arrested by special police forces near the stadium.

Investigators said they also found extensive material related to the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda at the home of the second suspect.

The main suspect was also arrested.

No other suspects are being sought, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said. However, a 15-year-old, who had been in contact with both suspects, was also questioned by police.