Taylor's Terror Trauma: Swift Admits She Was Stricken With 'Fear' and 'Guilt' in Wake of Foiled Suicide Bomb Plot
Taylor Swift confessed to feeling "a new sense of fear" after a foiled terror attack canceled her Vienna concert dates.
Aug. 22 2024, Published 1:15 p.m. ET
Taylor Swift has broken her silence on the foiled terror attack that canceled her Vienna concert dates.
The pop star revealed she was filled with "fear" and "guilt" over the alarming incident in a new Instagram post, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Swift wrote: "Walking onstage in London was a rollercoaster of emotions. Having our Vienna shows canceled was devastating. 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."
Swift admitted she felt "guilt" over having to cancel the three sold-out shows.
Swift, 34, was set to play three sold-out concerts in the Austrian city when two young men were arrested for planning a terror attack that threatened the singer, crew and attendees' safety. A third suspect was later detained.
Hours after news of the foiled attack broke, Swift's team announced the shows were canceled – devastating thousands of fans who traveled to Vienna to see the Cruel Summer singer on her second to last stop of the European leg of her Eras Tour.
Austrian authorities arrested three male suspects who planned to target Swift's Vienna concerts.
Now that her European tour has officially concluded after five sold-out shows in London, the 34-year-old returned to social media with an emotional message to fans.
She explained why she chose to not speak out on the issue until now.
Increased security measures were put in place at Swift's London concert dates.
- Dave Grohl Trolled by Army of Swifties Over His Lovechild Scandal After He Took Dig at Their Music Idol: 'Karma is Her Boyfriend!'
- Elon Musk Sparks Swifties Backlash by Offering to 'Give' Taylor Swift a Child Hours After She Endorsed Kamala Harris With 'Childless Cat Lady' Post
- Taylor Swift Endorses Kamala Harris In Wake of Fiery Donald Trump Debate — and Slams Fake AI Support for Ex-President
Swift continued: "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."
Swift further explained her silence was "actually showing restraint, waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to".
She added: "My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that."
Swift expressed gratitude to authorities and said she was thankful to be "grieving concerts and not lives".
In the wake of the canceled shows, videos began to circulate online showing thousands of Swifties lining the streets of Vienna and singing along to her songs.
Swift said she was "heartened" by the display of "love and unity" from supporters who "banded together".
She said: "I decided that all of my energy had to go toward helping to protect the nearly half a million people I had coming to see the shows in London. My team and I worked hand in hand with stadium staff and British authorities every day in pursuit of that goal, and I want to thank them for everything they did for us."
As RadarOnline.com reported, two young men were arrested after authorities were informed of "preparatory actions" for a potential attack "and also that there is a focus by the 19-year-old perpetrator on the Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna".
Franz Ruf, the public security director for Austria's interior ministry, announced the main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian citizen, was arrested by federal and state police in Ternitz in connection to the foiled terror attack.
Ruf said: "The two suspects became radicalized by the internet, a 19-year-old citizen of Lower Austria made an oath of allegiance to the current leader of IS at the beginning of July."
Days later, a third suspect was detained. Austrian police apprehended an 18-year-old Iraqi national in Vienna who "had been in contact" with the main suspect.
Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said: "He had been in contact with the main perpetrator but is not directly connected to the attack plans. But, as was found out a few days ago, he took an oath of allegiance specifically to ISIS on August 6."
Have a tip? Send it to us! Email RadarOnline.com at tips@radaronline.com.
Powered by RedCircle