Boy, 15, arrested over plot to bomb Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts after ‘helping terrorist, 19, with ISIS plans’
A TEEN has been arrested over the chilling plot to bomb Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts last month.
Police in Frankfurt detained a 15-year-old boy on suspicions of “recruiting for a terrorist organisation”, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office confirmed today.
Investigators searched an apartment where he reportedly lives with his parents and three other siblings.
Several devices were seized from the property including data storage devices, a computer and a mobile phone.
Ines Peterson, spokeswoman for the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office: “The proceedings are being conducted against a suspect on suspicion of recruiting for a terrorist organisation abroad.
“No further information is currently being provided.”
The teen is said to have been from Syria, according to Bild.
The 15-year-old is the second of three men suspected of being involved in the alleged “ISIS plans” that forced Swift to cancel her shows in Austria.
So far only one other man, named as Beran A, has admitted to being involved in the plans to run over fans outside Vienna’s Ernst-Happel Stadium.
Beran, 19, was also accused of planning to launch an attack with knives, machetes and a “dirty bomb” after mowing down fans.
Cops reportedly seized chemical and biological substances meant to build the bomb at one of the accomplices homes, local outlet Kurier reported.
The men allegedly had specific and detailed plans on how to carry out a mass attack at the venue where some 65,000 fans were expected to gather for each show.
Officers say the believed the 15-year-old was speaking with Beran ahead of the concerts and is feared to have advised with him over the planned attacks.
Beran had allegedly aimed to carry out an attack on the Swift concerts on Thursday or Friday.
The native Austrian was reportedly radicalised by Islamic terror cult ISIS in June, New York Post reports.
After being arrested in August, he confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible” outside the venue, Austrian security officials said.
He also planned to kill himself in the attack, officials added.
A third 17-year-old boy was also believed to be acting as an accomplice.
During a search of Beran’s home, authorities in Austria found various substances and tools used for building bombs.
They also found IS propaganda, 21,000 euros in counterfeit money, machetes, knives and blank ammunition.
Following the foiled plot, Taylor and her team put a ring of steel around the remaining shows.
An insider close to Taylor Swift‘s entourage said news of the planned attacks came as a huge shock to the entire team, stressing the day was “not easy.”
Speaking to The U.S. Sun, they said Swift was explained the situation in a meeting, saying they were in “shock.”
“The news has been kind of a shock for the whole team, as everyone was looking forward to those concerts in Austria as they are in the last part of the Eras Tour in Europe,” the source shared.
“There was a huge excitement to play in such a historical city, but also a big disappointment to have to cancel those shows.”