Iraqi Teen Detained in Vienna after Taylor Swift Concert Attack Plot Foiled

A police vehicle patrols as fans of the singer Taylor Swift gather following the cancellation of three Taylor Swift concerts at Happel stadium after the government confirmed a planned attack at the venue, in Vienna, Austria August 8, 2024. REUTERS/Elisabeth Mandl
A police vehicle patrols as fans of the singer Taylor Swift gather following the cancellation of three Taylor Swift concerts at Happel stadium after the government confirmed a planned attack at the venue, in Vienna, Austria August 8, 2024. REUTERS/Elisabeth Mandl
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Iraqi Teen Detained in Vienna after Taylor Swift Concert Attack Plot Foiled

A police vehicle patrols as fans of the singer Taylor Swift gather following the cancellation of three Taylor Swift concerts at Happel stadium after the government confirmed a planned attack at the venue, in Vienna, Austria August 8, 2024. REUTERS/Elisabeth Mandl
A police vehicle patrols as fans of the singer Taylor Swift gather following the cancellation of three Taylor Swift concerts at Happel stadium after the government confirmed a planned attack at the venue, in Vienna, Austria August 8, 2024. REUTERS/Elisabeth Mandl

An 18-year-old Iraqi national was detained in Vienna in connection with investigations into an alleged plot to strike a Taylor Swift concert in the Austrian capital, the interior ministry said on Friday.

The Iraqi national is said to have come from the same circle as the main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian with North Macedonian roots, according to the ministry.

The main suspect, who had vowed loyalty to ISIS, was planning a lethal assault among the estimated 20,000 "Swiftie" fans set to gather outside Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium.

Two other Austrian youths aged 17 and 15 were detained on Wednesday over the reported plot.
The 15-year-old has meanwhile been released and is being treated as a witness, the Kurier newspaper reported on Friday.

The Iraqi suspect is reported to have sworn allegiance to ISIS on Aug. 6, but it remains unclear whether he had anything to do with the planned attack, the newspaper reported.

Three sold-out concerts in Vienna, part of Swift's Eras Tours show, were canceled by organizers after officials announced the arrests over an apparent plot to attack her shows, saying they appeared to be inspired by ISIS and al-Qaeda.

The foiled attack was planned for Thursday or Friday, according to Austria’s interior minister, Gerhard Karner.

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

“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.”

Officials said one of the two confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.”

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.
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 at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, that killed 22 people.



European Leaders Arrive in Kyiv amid Push for 30-Day Ceasefire

From left, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stand at the memorial of fallen Ukrainian soldiers at independence square during a ceremony for 80th anniversary of VE Day in a memorial park in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP)
From left, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stand at the memorial of fallen Ukrainian soldiers at independence square during a ceremony for 80th anniversary of VE Day in a memorial park in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP)
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European Leaders Arrive in Kyiv amid Push for 30-Day Ceasefire

From left, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stand at the memorial of fallen Ukrainian soldiers at independence square during a ceremony for 80th anniversary of VE Day in a memorial park in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP)
From left, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stand at the memorial of fallen Ukrainian soldiers at independence square during a ceremony for 80th anniversary of VE Day in a memorial park in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP)

The leaders of four European countries arrived in Kyiv Saturday in a joint show of support as calls intensify for Russia to agree to a monthlong cease-fire in the war.

The leaders of France, Germany, Poland and the United Kingdom arrived together at the train station in Kyiv, where they are expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The visit marked the first time the leaders of the four countries have travelled together to Ukraine, while Friedrich Merz is making a first visit to Ukraine as Germany’s new Chancellor.

Along with President Donald Trump, the European leaders are pushing for Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire to allow for peace talks on ending the conflict.

“We reiterate our backing for the President Trump’s calls for a peace deal and call on Russia to stop obstructing efforts to secure an enduring peace,” the leaders said in a joint statement.