Swifties trade bracelets in the city center of Vienna on Thursday, August 8, 2024. Organizers of three Taylor Swift concerts in the stadium in Vienna this week called them off on Wednesday after officials announced arrests over an apparent plot to launch an attack on an event in the Vienna area such as the concerts. (Associated Press Photo/Heinz-Peter Bader) VIENNA — Both suspects in a foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift shows in Vienna appeared to be inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, Austrian authorities said Thursday, and investigators found bomb-making materials at one of their homes.
Officials said one of the two confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.” Three sold-out concerts were canceled Wednesday because of the plot, devastating Swifties from across the globe. Many of them had dropped thousands of euros (dollars) on travel and lodging in Austria’s expensive capital city to attend the Eras Tour shows at the Ernst Happel Stadium, which sat empty Thursday morning.
Europe is enamored with the American superstar: The German town of Gelsenkirchen renamed itself “Swiftkirchen” before its mid-July concerts. Concert organizers in Austria said they had expected up to 65,000 fans inside the stadium at each concert and as many as 30,000 onlookers outside, where authorities said the suspects planned to strike. The foiled attack was planned for Thursday or Friday, according to Austria’s interior minister, Ger.