Taylor Swift's Austrian Concerts Canceled After Authorities Thwart Alleged Terror Attack Plot

Taylor Swift’s sold-out shows in Vienna, Austria scheduled for Thursday through Saturday were canceled after authorities say they foiled a planned terror attack.

The Suspects: The primary suspect, a 19-year-old man, confessed to police his plans to execute a suicide attack outside the stadium. Authorities also detained two teenage suspects in connection with the plot. The main suspect pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. There’s no evidence ISIS directed the plot. Police said the suspects were “radicalized by the internet.” They found explosive devices, detonators, chemicals, ISIS propaganda and other weapons at the primary suspect’s home. 

For Context: Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said concerts are frequently targeted for terror attacks. Concert organizers expected 65,000 people to attend each of the three shows and up to 30,000 people to gather outside of the stadium each night.

How The Media Covered It: Several sources across the spectrum noted that the suspects are Austrian citizens, but the primary suspect’s parents are from North Macedonia and one of the others has Turkish or Croatian heritage. Breitbart (Right bias) described the suspects as “migrant-heritage teenagers” and noted that the primary suspect “recently adopted a new name of ‘Mo’ — Mohammed — while changing his appearance to take on a more stereotypically Islamist mien.” Sources on the left and center followed the Austrian government’s policy to not share suspects’ names unless they are convicted. Sources on the right, including Breitbart, The Daily Mail (Right) and The Telegraph (Lean Right) reported the primary suspect’s first name.