3rd Suspect — an 18-Year-Old Allegedly Loyal to ISIS — Arrested in Taylor Swift Concert Terror Plot

Mar. 15, 2025

Taylor Swift.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

A third suspect who authorities believe has links to ISIS has been detained in connection with analleged terror plotthat led to the cancellation of three scheduledTaylor Swiftshows in Austria.

Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said an 18-year-old Iraqi, who allegedly was in contact with the main suspect in the plot, was arrested on Thursday, Aug. 9 in Vienna, according to reports fromCNN,ABCand theAssociated Press.

Previously, two others were arrested. The main suspect, a 19-year-old, and a 17-year-old, were taken into custody on Tuesday, Aug. 7, the outlets reported. Both of those suspects are Austrian.

NBC News, the AP and CNN previously reported that Austrian authorities believe the 19-year-old had planned “to carry out an attack” with “explosives and knives” at Swift’s concert.

The 19-year-old wanted to “kill as many people as possible,” authorities alleged, according to the AP.

The main suspect “clearly radicalized in the direction of the Islamic State (IS),” Austrian authorities alleged at a previous news conference, NBC reported.

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The 18-year-old arrested Thursday was not directly linked to the plot, but authorities alleged he swore an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State, the AP reported.

The outlets also reported that a 15-year-old was interrogated but not arrested.

“With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety,” the show’s promoterposted on Instagram.

source: people.com