Terroristic communications reveal planning for a swift assault in Vienna
After the exposure of potential terrorist schemes during Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna, the authorities promptly took action and apprehended a suspect. New details have emerged about how the 19-year-old allegedly prepared for his assault. Examination of the chats reveals the radicalised mindset of the Austrian.
Initially scheduled for three shows in August, Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna had to be canceled at the last minute due to a serious security concern, resulting in the arrest of a suspect by the police. Preliminary findings have now been disclosed about the preparation process of the suspected terrorist. According to "Heute", investigators examined a total of 17 phones from the three individuals involved.
The technical analysts from the Austrian police successfully retrieved Telegram and Signal chats, as well as Snapchat messages. A German individual seemed to encourage the 19-year-old to carry out an attack. At first, they intended to construct a bomb, but the Viennese suspect wrote to his accomplice: "Since this instruction is in Arabic and I don't understand it, they [permitting reference to the Islamic State] advised using weapons instead."
Later, the suspected terrorist wrote "Fight for Allah" to his accomplices and further, "Go out and terrorize the Kuffar [note: unbelievers]. If you have no weapons, go out with a knife. If you have no knife, run them over. And if you can't even run them over, then spit in their faces."
Vienna Terrorist Eyed "Significant Actions"
Subsequently, he expressed his intent to carry out something "significant". The Austrian was focusing on a Shia mosque, the Kurdish embassy, or a concert, if he could obtain weapons. When inquired if any major event was approaching, he simply replied "Yes, Taylor Swift". The terror aficionado then urged his German contact to coordinate a simultaneous strike. Meanwhile, the Austrian received instructions from IS to develop and release lethal sarin gas at the concert venue, safeguarding himself with a common mask.
The potential involvement of the German in a parallel attack and the Austrian's capacity to manufacture the gas remain uncertain at this point. The arrest in Vienna occurred before the first Swift show.
The Vienna terror plot involved plans to target either a Shia mosque, the Kurdish embassy, or a concert, as revealed by the suspect's messages. Despite the potential threat, the European Union continues to prioritize the safety of its citizens, ensuring thorough investigations and precautions to prevent similar incidents in the future.
