Third arrest in foiled plot targeting Taylor Swift shows in Vienna

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VIENNA — A third teenager has been arrested in connection with a foiled attack on now-canceled Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna, Austria’s interior minister said Friday.

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Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said an 18-year-old was taken into custody Thursday evening in Vienna after allegedly being in contact with the main suspect. Karner announced the arrest during an unrelated news conference Friday.

Investigators are scrutinizing the “networks” of the suspects, the Austrian interior ministry told The Associated Press on Friday, adding in a statement that investigators have turned to evaluating physical and electronic evidence.

The 19-year-old main suspect and a 17-year-old were arrested Tuesday, while a 15-year-old was also interrogated but was not arrested. None of their names were released, in line with Austrian privacy rules.

Officials said Thursday afternoon that no additional suspects were being sought. They did not immediately offer further details Friday.

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Authorities say the plot appeared to have been inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida. Investigators found bomb-making materials at the main suspect’s home. Officials say that teenager has confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue” using knives or homemade explosives.

Officials say the main suspect and the 18-year-old arrested Friday both pledged “oaths of allegiance” to the Islamic State group.

The 18-year-old “comes from the social environment” of the main suspect, Karner said.

“He had been in contact with the main perpetrator, but is not directly connected to the attack plans,” the minister said. “But, as was found out a few days ago, he took an oath of allegiance specifically to the IS on Aug. 6.”

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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.

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 Karner.

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer defended the decision to cancel the concerts, saying the arrests took place too close to the shows, scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

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“I understand very well that those who wanted to experience the concert live are very sad,” Nehammer told a news conference Thursday. “Moms and dads are looking after their daughters and sons, who were full of enthusiasm and anticipation for this concert. But it’s also important that in such serious moments as now, it’s inevitable that safety comes first.”

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Concert organizer Barracuda Music said in an Instagram post late Wednesday that it had “no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.”

Barracuda said all tickets would be refunded. The same message was posted under the Vienna dates on Swift’s official website.

Swift is also scheduled to perform at London’s Wembley stadium in five concerts between Aug. 15 and 20 to close the European leg of her record-setting Eras Tour.

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan said that while he understood Vienna’s reasons for canceling, “We’re going to carry on.” Khan said the capital’s authorities were prepared for shows there following lessons learned from a 2017 attack by a suicide bomber at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people.

Last month, an attacker in England killed three girls and wounded 10 people in a knife attack during a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class. Swift at the time said she was ”completely in shock” over the violence.

Swift has not spoken publicly about the plot or canceled shows. “Taylor Nation,” a verified Instagram page widely believed to be run by her team, reposted the announcement from Barracuda Music in a “story,” which is only visible for 24 hours. Her main account has not posted anything.

Shiraz Maher, an expert on Islamic extremism with the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, said in a statement to the AP that attackers “prioritize casualties and therefore choose soft targets where they know large numbers of people will be congregating.”

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