The investigation into the foiled terror plot targeting Taylor Swift’s Vienna Eras Tour concerts has reportedly led to a 15-year-old in Germany.
Taylor, 34, was forced to cancel three concerts in Vienna last month after it was suspected that her Eras Tour in Austria would be the target of a terrorist attack.
Three suspects were arrested in the initial aftermath of the cancelled gigs, one of whom was a 19-year-old who was pictured posing with two large knives.
According to the outlet Bild, investigators have allegedly also arrested a 15-year-old from Odar, Germany in connection to the threat.
‘The proceedings are being conducted against an accused on suspicion of recruiting for a terrorist organization abroad,’ said Ines Peterson, a spokeswoman for the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
‘No further information is currently being provided,’ she added.
Bild alleged that devices such as computers and phones have been confiscated from the home, where the suspect lived with their parents and siblings.
It’s reported the teenager has been under surveillance by authorities for some time and was in contact with the 19-year-old suspect ahead of the planned attack.
They are said to have communicated via an encrypted messaging service in one-to-one chats, discussing weapons and explosives.
However, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office did not confirm a connection between the two suspects to outlet the rbb.
The 15-year-old appeared in court on Thursday morning, with the outcome as yet unknown.
The CIA confirmed that the plot had been due to target ‘tens of thousands’ of gig-goers; with the Ernst Happel Stadium holding 60,000 more fans inside.
‘They were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this,’ said CIA Deputy Director, David Cohen, at the annual Intelligence and National Security Summit.
‘The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this Isis-connected group was planning to do.’
Taylor did not address the attacks at the time, later revealing she wished to get through the remaining tour dates without any further incidents or concern.
After her sell-out final Wembley shows, the All Too Well icon took to social media to address the Vienna crisis.
‘Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating,’ she said. ‘The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows.
‘But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.’
In the statement, she also addressed the online criticism for not speaking out fast enough for some fans’ liking after the Vienna shows were cancelled.
Taylor added: ‘Let me be very clear: I am not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who would want to harm the fans who come to my shows,’ she said.
‘In cases like this one, “silence” is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to.
‘My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that.’