Chancellor on arrests:

“Thank God tragedy could be prevented”

Chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked all the authorities involved, but did not reveal from which partner intelligence service the decisive tip had come.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Alex HALADA)

While the investigation into the assassination plans of a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old at one of Taylor Swift's three planned Vienna concerts is still in full swing, a political mud-slinging battle is already raging about the threat situation in Austria and which (current or former) governing party is responsible for the biggest failings. 

The opposition feels that the government is not sufficiently involved. The public is also being left in the dark, is the criticism. For this reason, the SPÖ demanded the convening of the National Security Council, the FPÖ also demanded the immediate convening of the Standing Subcommittee of the Internal Affairs Committee. The NEOS, meanwhile, called for a discussion of the situation in the Chancellery with all parliamentary parties. The convening of the National Security Council was in any case welcomed by Vice-Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens), who at the same time called for "election campaign tactics to be put aside".

The arrest of Beran A. (right) and his 17-year-old accomplice probably prevented a terrible bloodbath on the fringes of the Taylor Swift concert.

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

High praise for the newly founded Office for the Protection of the Constitution
On Thursday afternoon, Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP), who had interrupted his vacation, also spoke out. "Thank God a tragedy could be prevented", emphasized the head of government and thanked all the authorities involved who, in cooperation with "foreign partners", were able to prevent this plan, which would have had "unimaginable dimensions", from succeeding. In this context, Nehammer explicitly mentioned the Directorate for State Protection and Intelligence Service, which was founded in 2021 - and thus struck the same chord as Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), who, as a small side blow to the FPÖ, said: "I don't even want to imagine what could have happened if the old BVT (the former Federal Office for State Protection and Counterterrorism), which was smashed by my predecessor (meaning Kickl), had now been in charge."

The terror threat in Europe is very high. Austria is no exception.

(Bild: APA/AP)

"Can understand the organizer's decision very well"
The organizer had handled the warnings very responsibly. The plans were very concrete. Nehammer responded to the criticism that three sold-out concerts may have been canceled too quickly: "I can understand the organizer's decision very well."

In his statement, the Chancellor also emphasized the importance of "our defensive democracy", which must be particularly upheld in times like these. Because it is clear that terrorism has a goal: It wants to sow hatred between cultures and religions and spread fear. "This makes it all the more important to show the strength of our society, democracy and values. By reaching out and not shaking hands," said Nehammer.

Chancellor Karl Nehammer thanked all the authorities involved, but did not reveal from which partner secret service the decisive tip had come.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Alex HALADA)

No explicit danger for further concerts
Following the cancellation of Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna due to the threat of terrorism, many fans are looking ahead to future events. At a press conference on Thursday, DSN director Omar Haijawi-Pirchner said that there was "no information that further concerts are subject to an explicit danger" with regard to the Coldplay gigs in Vienna and the Frequency Festival in St. Pölten. Lower Austria's police consider themselves prepared, Coldplay organizer Live Nation wants to keep calm.