Karl Nehammer argued on Wednesday that “intense collaboration” between the police and the Directorate of State Intelligence and Security, which is part of the Ministry of the Interior, managed to “detect in time” and combat the threat.
“The situation surrounding the apparently planned terrorist attack in Vienna was very serious,” the diplomat stressed, in a statement released on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
Austrian police arrested two terror suspects linked to the Islamic State (IS) on Wednesday.
“We live in a time when violent means are being used to attack our Western way of life. Islamic terrorism threatens security and freedom in many Western countries,” Nehammer warned.
“That is precisely why we will not abandon our values such as freedom and democracy, but rather defend them even more vehemently. It is important to remain vigilant, to remain united and to take decisive action,” he added.
The cancellation of the Taylor Swift concerts by the organizers is a bitter disappointment for all fans in Austria. The situation surrounding the apparently planned terrorist attack in Vienna was very serious. Thanks to the intensive cooperation of our police and the newly established DSN…
— Karl Nehammer (@karlnehammer) August 7, 2024
Promoters on Wednesday cancelled three concerts by American singer Taylor Swift in Vienna scheduled for this week.
“With the authorities confirming a planned terrorist attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no option but to cancel all three concerts for everyone’s safety,” explained promoter Barracuda Music in a message on the social network Instagram.
Austria’s Director General of Public Security, Franz Ruf, confirmed at a press conference the arrest of a 19-year-old Austrian in the city of Ternitz, about 65 kilometers southwest of Vienna, and of a second person in the capital.
The detainee in Ternitz was radicalized through the internet and swore an “oath of loyalty” to the extremist group EI in July, detailed the authorities, who found chemical substances in his residence, which are still being evaluated.
The young man was in collusion with another person, also “radicalized on the internet” and who was arrested in Vienna, Ruf stressed, without giving further details.
According to authorities, the suspects made specific preparations to carry out a terrorist attack, as indicated by objects found in Ternitz’s home.
Around 65,000 people were expected at each of the shows, and another 15,000 to 20,000 people in the vicinity of the Ernst-Happel stadium, according to Vienna State Police Director Gerhard Pürstl.
Vienna was the target of a terrorist attack in November 2020, in which four people died.
In December, authorities arrested four suspects suspected of planning an attack on St. Stephen’s Cathedral in the city center.
Read Also: Taylor Swift cancels Vienna concerts after terror attack threats
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Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/mundo/2611987/mne-austriaco-diz-que-foi-evitada-tragedia-em-concerto-de-taylor-swift
