Suspect plotted suicide attack at Taylor Swift concert in Austria, authorities say (2024)

The main suspect in a terror plot to attack Taylor Swift's upcoming concerts in Austria told authorities he planned to commit a suicide attack with bombs and weapons, the Australian chancellor said Thursday.

"The suspects had very specific and detailed plans to cause a tragedy here like in Paris, Manchester or Moscow," Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer posted in German on X on Aug. 8. "The main perpetrator confessed that he wanted to carry out a suicide attack with two accomplices. He obtained explosives and weapons."

Swift’s three “Eras Tour” concerts in Vienna this week have been canceled following the foiled terror plot.

"It is unimaginable what devastating consequences this would have had," Nehammer wrote. "That would have meant numerous deaths and injuries."

A 19-year-old Austrian with North Macedonian roots downloaded manuals for bomb building, and a search of his apartment found hydrogen peroxide, homemade explosives, detonators and detonator cables, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, head of Austria’s Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, said at a news conference on Aug. 8, according to NBC News.

Another suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian citizen with Turkish and Croatian roots, had been employed by a company that would have provided unspecified services at the concert, Haijawi-Pirchner said. Islamic State terrorist group and Al Qaeda materials were also found at his home.

A third suspect isa 15-year old Austrian national with Turkish roots, he added.

“We live in a time in which there are forces that want to fight our joy of life and our freedom with terrorist means," Nehammer wrote on X. "I can understand that many who have been looking forward to these concerts for a long time are now sad. But safety comes first and a tragedy was prevented."

Swift had been scheduled to perform at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna on Aug 8, 9 and 10. All three shows were canceled as of Aug. 7, with Swift's website saying all tickets will be refunded.

Austria's Barracuda Music was the first to announce that Swift's concerts were canceled in an Instagram post that was then shared as an Instagram story for @TaylorNation, a social media account affiliated with the pop star's team.

"With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone's safety," the announcement reads. "All tickets will be automatically refunded within the next 10 business days."

The pop star herself has not commented publicly on the shows' cancellations. TODAY.com has reached out to Swift and her representatives for comment.

On Aug. 7, police confirmed the arrests of two men who had allegedly planned terror attacks at major events in Vienna, including Swift's concerts.

Initially, officials said that Swift's concerts would go on as the "concrete danger has been minimized" and that there would be increased security measures in place at the venue.

According to two U.S. officials briefed on the matter, the two men had been under surveillance for a period of time. While the 19-year-old had already purchased chemicals, the individual didn't have everything needed to build a bomb and it's unlikely that the person would have been able to do so before the concerts took place. Austrian law enforcement took the two individuals into custody to ensure the attack didn't occur through other means.

Officials in Europe and in the U.S. tell NBC News that the attack was focused on the concert at large and that Swift herself wasn't directly targeted. The investigation is ongoing.

In a statement obtained by TODAY.com, ticket reseller StubHub said ticket holders will be notified via email immediately.

"We are aware of the news regarding the upcoming cancelled Taylor Swift shows in Austria," the company said. "We will immediately provide StubHub ticket buyers with a 120% voucher toward another purchase, in line with our event cancellation policy and our FanProtect Guarantee. Buyers who prefer a 100% cash refund can make the request directly in their StubHub wallet."

On July 29 in Southport, England,three children were fatally stabbed and eight other children were injured at a dance class themed around Swift's music. At the time, Swift sent her condolences to the families and wrote in a post she was "completely in shock."

"The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, and first responders," she said in a post shared to her Instagram story on July 30. "These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”

In 2019, Swift said in an essay for Elle that her "biggest fear" was an attack at one of her concerts.

"After the Manchester Arena bombing and the Vegas concert shooting, I was completely terrified to go on tour this time because I didn’t know how we were going to keep 3 million fans safe over seven months," she wrote at the time. " There was a tremendous amount of planning, expense, and effort put into keeping my fans safe."

Swift is currently on the international leg of the "Eras Tour." She will next head to London for a slew of shows starting Aug. 15.

CORRECTION(Aug. 7, 2024, 6:52 p.m. ET): An earlier version of this article misstated that the concerts were canceled on Thursday, Aug. 7. August 7, the day the concerts were canceled, is a Wednesday.