Authorities in Austria said Wednesday that two people have been arrested for allegedly planning a terror attack at Taylor Swift's upcoming Eras Tour concerts in Vienna, which were subsequently canceled by event organizers.
"We have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone's safety," a message from Barracuda Music said, according to ABC7. "All tickets will be automatically refunded." Swift was set to perform in Vienna on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Franz Ruf, director-general for public safety in Austria's Ministry of the Interior, said one 19-year-old Austrian citizen was arrested Wednesday morning, and a second suspect was arrested in the afternoon. Ruf said the suspects were allegedly radicalized online, with the 19-year-old allegedly pledging allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State (ISIS) last month.
The two suspects allegedly had detailed plans for an attack in Vienna, with the 19-year-old particularly focused on Swift's concert, Ruf said.
When the teen was taken into custody, bomb squad officers allegedly found chemical substances. Investigators were still working to determine whether the substances could be used to build an explosive device.
Police Chief Gerhard Purstl said at the press conference that security would be enhanced for the concerts, but assured that with the arrests, "the concrete danger has been minimized."
--with reporting by TMX
