On Friday, a third suspect aged 18 was detained by Austrian authorities. It is understood he had pledged allegiance to Islamic State and been in contact with the suspected cell’s ringleader.
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However, Gerhard Karner, Austria’s interior minister, stressed that the 18 year-old was not directly involved in the planned attack.
Investigators seized chemicals and explosives at the home of the 19-year-old ringleader, who told police he had intended to “kill himself and a large crowd at the concert” on either Thursday or Friday.
Austrian authorities said they believe the 19 year-old, who is said to have links to North Macedonia, was set to target concertgoers with knives and a homemade bomb.
A second suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian citizen with a Turkish and Croatian background, had started a job at the concert venue just days before the Taylor Swift shows were cancelled, Viennese officials said.
Khan said London would “carry on” hosting the Swift concerts later this month, adding that the city had a “huge amount of experience in policing these events” with lessons learned after the 2017 Manchester Arena attack when a terrorist killed 22 people and injured more than 1,000 at an Ariana Grande concert.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police also tried to allay any fears, insisting that its officers worked closely with venue security teams and other agencies “to ensure there are appropriate security and policing plans in place”.
Swift’s tour returns to Wembley from Aug 15 for five dates.
Telegraph, London
