Taylor Swift's Concert: 19-Year-Old Arrested For Planning Suicide Attack

The intelligence service said on Thursday that a 19-year-old IS sympathizer who was detained in Austria was preparing a suicide attack intended to kill numerous people at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna.

The US celebrity's concerts in Vienna this week were abruptly canceled by the organizers, and two suspects were arrested by Austrian officials on Wednesday.

The suspects were allegedly planning to launch an attack.

Domestic intelligence agency (DSN) head Omar Haijawi-Pirchner told a news conference that the main suspect, a 19-year-old, had confessed and that he "intended to carry out an attack using explosives and knives."

"He intended to take many lives during the concert—either today or tomorrow—and kill himself as well," he added. 

There were scheduled concerts from Thursday to Saturday.

According to Haijawi-Pirchner, the second suspect, a 17-year-old Austrian, worked for a facility management company that would have "provided services" at the Ernst Happel Stadium, the location of Swift's performance.

The younger suspect was "in the area" of the stadium where he was being held. He has thus far declined to speak with officials.

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner declared that a "tragedy was averted."  He went on, "The situation was very serious," especially in light of the three girls who were killed in a recent attack at a Taylor Swift-themed event in Great Britain.

Authorities said that during a check of the primary suspect's apartment, explosives and detonators were discovered.