A teenager posted a video online confessing to the plot, telling people he had “big plans” (File)

Berlin:

A 19-year-old man has been detained in Austria for allegedly plotting to kill people outside a stadium at a Taylor Swift concert, prompting the cancellation of three of the pop superstar’s shows in Vienna this week. .

Two other youths have been identified as suspects.

What the security officials have said about these three.

19 years old

The Austrian national with North Macedonian roots was arrested during a police operation on Wednesday morning in Ternitz, a town near the Hungarian border.

Public Security chief Franz Ruf told reporters Thursday that the teenager, who posted a video online confessing to the plot, quit his job on July 25, telling people he had “big plans.”

The suspect had recently changed his appearance and was consuming and sharing Islamist propaganda online, security officials said, adding that he had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State but had He also showed sympathy with Al-Qaeda.

A neighbor told Austrian broadcaster Plus24 that the young man kept to himself and had grown a “Taliban beard”.

During a search of his home, law enforcement officials found various materials and equipment used to make bombs, as well as Islamic State propaganda, counterfeit currency worth 21,000 euros ($23,000), knives, knives and empty ammunition. .

The Kurier newspaper, citing sources familiar with the situation, reported that the suspect had stolen chemicals from his former workplace, also a metal processing company in Ternitz. Officials did not comment on where he obtained the chemicals, adding that it was the focus of their investigation.

17 years old

After initially being tipped off about a single suspect, Austrian investigators met with two others, including a 17-year-old Austrian with Turkish-Croatian roots who was arrested on Wednesday afternoon. was arrested in Vienna.

He was apparently working in the area of ​​Ernst Happel Stadium, where Swift’s stadium shows were scheduled to take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The 17-year-old was hired a few days ago by a company that was providing services at the stadium.

Roof said the boy, who was also apparently radicalized and already known to authorities, had recently broken up with his girlfriend.

He has yet to give a statement to police, so his exact role in the plot is unclear, but he had extensive contact with the main suspect, officials said.

15 years old

The third and final suspect is an Austrian citizen of Turkish heritage.

During interrogation, the youth said that the prime accused had changed a lot in recent months and had also regularly questioned him about explosive devices, officials said.

(Other than the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Taylor Swift(T) Concert in Austria



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