As new details emerge in the shocking plot to commit an act or terror at a Lady Gaga concert, one of the suspects has been identified as a man who was deported from the United States just last month.
The 44-year-old male suspect, who had lived in the U.S. for 27 years according to CNN, was planning on carrying out multiple attacks at the Grammy Award-winning singer’s free show at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night.
The United States Consulate initially learned of the man’s plans after he made a social media post and tipped off the Rio de Janeiro Civil police.
Brazilian investigators discovered that he held a ‘spiritual war’ with Lady Gaga and that the outline of attacks would have included the livestream of a child’s execution and setting up bombs near the stage.
The suspect, who also made threats via online chat groups, was charged with terrorism and promoting crime but was not arrested.
‘He said that the singer was a Satanist and that he was going to perform a Satanist ritual too, killing a child during the show,’ Rio de Janeiro Civil Police secretary, officer Felipe Curi said.
Authorities are investigating whether his recent terror activity was motivated by his removal from the U.S.
DailyMail.com reached out to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for comment.
Two suspects, an adult identified as Luis da Silva and a 17-year-old boy, were taken into custody after authorities used Discord as part of an attempt to sign up other people, including teens, to execute simultaneous attacks against children and members of LGBTQ+ community who were among the nearly 2.1 million people who attended the concert.
‘They plan to use Molotov cocktails and explosive backpacks,’ the police complaint said.
Details of the operation were sealed and Lady Gaga and her staff were not informed because police did not want to cause any panic.
Da Silva, who was identified as the ringleader and resides in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, was arrested on an illegal gun possession charge. He was released on bail Monday.
São Paulo Congressman Erik Hilton was stunned that the police released da Silva on a bail bond.
‘The man accused of being the leader of the group that planned a terrorist attack at Lady Gaga’s concert was released by the courts in Rio Grande do Sul after paying bail,’ Hilton wrote on X. ‘The group he led also promoted pedophilia, misogyny and LGBTphobia through social media. In addition, at the time of his arrest, he was in possession of an illegal firearm.’
The teen, whose name has not been released, was arrested at a home in Rio de Janeiro for possession of child pornography. It’s unknown if he is still in police custody or if he was released.
They were identified as members of an online hate community that spent time to indoctrinating young people and advocated the ‘dissemination of hate crimes, self-harm, pedophilia and violent content,’ authorities said.
Brazilian authorities carried out search warrants against nine people in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, São Paulo and Mato Grosso.
Police search the residence of a 16-year-old boy in São Vicente, a coastal city in São Paulo, and released him to his father after he confessed to being part of da Silva’s network.
The teenager also told police that his job was to create online profiles that spread hateful messages but denied having anything to do with the terror plot.
Rio de Janeiro Civil Police chief Luiz Lima, who oversees the Department for the Repression of Computer Crimes, said the police response saved hundreds of lives.
‘It was an integrated action that saved hundreds of lives,’ Lima said. ‘These groups, which are organized, have goals to achieve notoriety, to gather more spectators, more participants, the majority of whom are teenagers, many of them children.’
Lady Gaga learned of the foiled attack via several news reports on Sunday, her representative told the Hollywood Reporter.
‘We learned of this alleged threat through media reports this morning,’ the representative said in statement. ‘Prior to and during the show, there were no known security concerns, nor any communication from police or authorities to Lady Gaga about any potential risks.’
The costs for Lady Gaga’s concert was covered by Rio de Janeiro as part of an attempt to revitalize the economy as it’s estimated it could bring in nearly $100 million.
‘Nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had during last night’s show—the absolute pride and joy I felt singing for the people of Brazil,’ the 37-year-old Grammy Award winning artist said in an Instagram post.
‘The sight of the crowd during my opening songs took my breath away,’ she added. ‘Your heart shines so bright, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historical moment with you.’