Taylor Swift terror attack suspects 'hired as security guards' for concert had 'chemical bomb'

Suspects in ‘a planned terrorist attack’ that forced Taylor Swift's shows in Austria to be cancelled were reportedly ‘hired as security guards' for the concert.

On Wednesday, the US singer’s three performances in Vienna were cancelled over an apparent plot to launch an attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium .

Authorities arrested two suspected extremists, one of whom appeared to be planning an attack on the event in the Vienna area, while a manhunt is underway for a third suspect.

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A 19-year-old suspect was arrested in Ternitz, south of Vienna, and a second person in the Austrian capital. Friends of the 19-year-old are said to have been hired as employees of the security service at the concert, the Mirror reports.

The teenager reportedly planned to drive a car into the 20,000 fans standing outside the stadium during the concerts before attacking with machetes and knives.

Franz Ruf, the public security director at Austria’s interior ministry, stated in a press conference that the suspects were allegedly radicalised online. Mr Ruf said the 19-year-old had pledged an oath of allegiance to the Islamic State group. He also said chemical substances were secured and were being evaluated.

Local outlets report that a "well advanced" bomb was to be constructed after chemical substances were found at his home. The suspect allegedly planned to create an explosive device using chemicals TATP, which are particularly sensitive to impact, Austrian outlet Kurier reports.

Austria's chancellor later confirmed the tragedy had been averted following the cancellations. Karl Nehammer wrote on X following news of the arrests: '"Thanks to the intensive