Global pop sensation Taylor Swift has been forced to cancel three highly anticipated concerts in Vienna following alarming terrorist threats.
Austrian officials announced on Wednesday that they had arrested two individuals suspected of planning large-scale attack on the singer’s shows. Swift’s canceled concerts were scheduled for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at Ernst Happel Stadium, with an expected attendance of over 150,000 fans.
Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria’s Interior Ministry, revealed that one of the suspects is a 19-year-old Austrian citizen. The teenager allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS and was apprehended in the town of Ternitz.
“We have identified relevant preparatory actions and also that a focus of the 19-year-old was the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna,” Ruf stated, but did not disclose any details about the second suspect.
According to the Washington Post, the arrested individuals had been radicalized online. A search of the first suspect’s home uncovered chemical substances, prompting an investigation into their potential use in constructing explosives.
Swift’s Eras Tour has shattered records by becoming the most lucrative concert series ever. Her performances have drawn international crowds, with fans flying across continents to attend her European concerts. Taken together, airfare, hotels, and a concert ticket in Europe can sometimes cost less than a seat at a show in the United States, which can fetch a minimum of $1,000 in the nosebleeds.
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