Confession made

“Killing infidels”: Islamists had “big plans”

On the right in the picture is the main suspect Beran A. He gave himself the fighting name "Mo" in allusion to the Prophet Mohammed.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/Eva Manhart, zVg)

New details from the authorities show how far advanced the young Islamists' plans for the attack were. Taylor Swift fans in front of Vienna's Prater stadium should have been targeted. The Republic's top intelligence officer sees "unimaginable challenges" in the future.

When Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), DSN boss Omar Haijawi-Pirchner and Police Director General Franz Ruf stepped up to the lectern in Vienna on Thursday afternoon, the assembled media and disappointed "Swifties" had one question: how close was that?

The ÖVP minister gave a clear answer: "The situation was serious, the situation is serious." A tragedy was prevented. He had "understanding" for the cancellation. Ruf added a little later that the 19-year-old main suspect had made a full confession.

On the right in the picture is the main suspect Beran A. He gave himself the combat name "Mo" in reference to the Prophet Mohammed.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/Eva Manhart, zVg)

Terrorist had "big" plans
The Lower Austrian with North Macedonian roots and his 17-year-old colleague, who was arrested at the stadium site, had meant business. Strong social changes would also prove this. The 19-year-old had quit his job and announced that he had "big plans". "He has conspicuously changed his appearance and adapted it to the IS."

The situation briefly explained

• An Austrian Islamist cell has planned a terrorist attack on one of the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna.
• A 19-year-old from Ternitz (Lower Austria) was arrested. He has confessed. He gave himself the combat name "Mo" in allusion to the Prophet Mohammed.
• A 17-year-old from Vienna was arrested on the stadium grounds. According to information from "Krone", he worked for a facility company that was active on the site. He has not confessed to.
• A 15-year-old was stopped and questioned by the authorities in Vienna. His role has not yet been sufficiently determined.
• An immediate threat has been averted, but the search for potential accomplices continues.

The stadium insider had "broken up" with his girlfriend shortly before the attack. The statements by DSN boss Haijawi-Pirchner ultimately made it clear: the authorities may have saved the lives of numerous "Swifties"!

Focus on explosives, cutting and stabbing weapons
The head of the secret service drew up a rough attack plan. Cutting and stabbing weapons in combination with explosives were to be used. "He wanted to kill himself and as many people as possible." Whether a car was also to be used is still part of "extensive" investigations. There are no known dangers for other major events.

The planned attacks would have focused on the area around the Happel Stadium. "Killing people outside the stadium" was the plan. At Swift concerts, this is where those who have not been able to get tickets traditionally gather. In Vienna, up to 20,000 people were expected on each of the three concert evenings.

No remorse detectable
Initial interrogations also allow conclusions to be drawn about the degree of radicalization of the main suspect, who also has "clear tendencies" towards al-Qaeda. Remorse was sought in vain. Haijawi-Pirchner: "He was clearly radicalized and thinks it is right to kill 'infidels'." However, the foiled attack is only a symptom of a much larger problem.

DSN boss Haijawi-Pirchner

(Bild: APA/ALEX HALADA)

"Islamic extremism presents us with unimaginable challenges," warned the head of the DSN. People are easy for terrorists to reach on the internet. What is striking is that the perpetrators are getting younger and younger. Extremism expert Peter R. Neumann speaks of so-called TikTok jihadists who radicalize themselves on the Internet.

Anyone can download instructions from Islamist groups on how to build bombs. According to Haijawi-Pirchner, this is what happened, as the analysis of seized data carriers shows.

Hydrogen peroxide and detonators were found in the house of the main suspect. "Machetes, knives, anabolic steroids and counterfeit money" were also seized. The 19-year-old also had a blue light and siren.

Preparations for Swift attack well advanced
The preparations were apparently well advanced: "Explosives found in the house were destroyed on site due to their dangerous nature," Haijawi-Pirchner said.

Our state security works!

Innenminister Karner

Bild: APA/Georg Hochmuth

"The danger from Islamist extremism has increased significantly in Europe following the terrible attack by Hamas on Israel. Austria was and is no exception," said Karner. 

According to the Interior Minister, it was time to be allowed to monitor messenger services where terrorists communicate. The authorities must be able to "do their job in a timely manner" in the interests of the population. At the same time, he emphasized: "Our state security works!" International networking is a given again.

"Especially in terrorism, it is essential to be internationally networked," agreed DSN boss Haijawi-Pirchner. Information flows in both directions have been established since the reorganization of the secret service. In this specific case, this means that the original tip-off came from abroad and referred to a single perpetrator. Own information had revealed a "known" network.

Karner takes a swipe at Kickl
There was also a bit of party politics. Karner said: "I don't even want to imagine what could have happened if the old BVT, which was smashed by my predecessor, had now been in charge."