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International Business Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- International Business Times
Who Is Luis da Silva? Suspect Who Plotted to Kill Lady Gaga Fans at Concert Identified as Illegal Immigrant Who Was Recently Deported from US
The suspected terrorist who allegedly planned to kill Lady Gaga fans by plotting a horrifying attack at her record-breaking concert in Brazil has been identified by as an illegal immigrant who was deported from the United States just last month, Brazilian officials revealed on Monday. Luis da Silva, 44, allegedly planned to live-stream the killing of children and plant bombs near the stage during Lady Gaga's concert, which attracted over 2.5 million fans to Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, according to the investigators. The threat was thwarted through a coordinated effort between Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro. Arrested and Jailed "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, told reporters on Monday. Dubbed Operation Fake Monster—a reference to Lady Gaga's fanbase, known as "Little Monsters"—the investigation identified people who were allegedly recruiting others, including minors, to launch attacks at the concert using improvised explosives. One teenager was reportedly arrested after police thwarted the bomb attack. "The suspects were recruiting participants, including minors, to carry out coordinated attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails," the police said in a statement. Investigators uncovered online groups using coded messages and extremist imagery to incite violent behavior among teens. Law enforcement carried more than a dozen search and seizure operations targeting 15 people in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Mato Grosso, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo. "The plan was treated as a 'collective challenge' with the aim of gaining notoriety on social media," police said. The 39-year-old pop star's concert was funded by the city in a bid to give a boost to Rio's economy, with estimates suggesting it could generate close to $100 million in revenue. "Tonight, we're making history. Thank you for making history with me," Lady Gaga told the ecstatic audience. Extensive Operation Led to Arrest The Ministry of Justice said that 15 search and seizure warrants were executed across the states of Mato Grosso, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo. Authorities seized electronic devices and other items from the homes of nine suspects who are currently being investigated. Social media accounts tied to the suspects reportedly contained hate-filled content targeting the LGBT+ community, children, and teens. The accounts also encouraged teen radicalization, self-harm, pedophilia, and the circulation of violent materials online. Investigators say the group intended to disguise the attack as a viral social media challenge. Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Secretary Felipe Curi said that those involved will face terrorism charges. ""They were planning a terrorist attack. That's why we're only disclosing the operation today, so as not to spread panic. It was an important operation that didn't interfere with the event, but prevented greater harm from happening," he said at a press briefing.
Daily Mail
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Shocking identity of 'terrorist who tried to attack Lady Gaga concert' is revealed
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 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. Brazilian investigators discovered they man, whose name has not been released, 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. 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.' Cops raided a home in São Vicente, a coastal town in the southeastern Brazilian state of São Paulo, and arrested a 16-year-old boy who confessed to creating online profiles that spread hateful messages but denied having anything to do with the terror plot at Lady Gaga's concert 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.
L'Orient-Le Jour
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Thwarted terror attack at Lady Gaga's concert in Rio
A bomb attack was thwarted during a mega concert by star Lady Gaga in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, and two people suspected of being involved have been arrested, authorities announced Sunday. About two million people swarmed the iconic Copacabana beach into the early hours to listen to the American diva, according to city officials, under the watch of an impressive security deployment. The civil police of Rio de Janeiro announced in a statement that, in collaboration with the Justice Ministry, they had 'prevented a bomb attack that was supposed to occur during Lady Gaga's show at Copacabana.' The attempted attack had been orchestrated by a group that 'spread hate speech' and promoted the radicalization of adolescents and self-harm on digital platforms, according to police. The assailants designed this plan as a 'collective challenge' to gain notoriety on social media, said the police. The project targeted children, adolescents, and the LGBTQ+ community, a group strongly represented among the hundreds of thousands of Lady Gaga fans in Rio. The 'leader of the group' and 'responsible for the plan' was arrested in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (south) while illegally carrying a firearm. A teenager is also in custody in Rio de Janeiro. As part of Operation 'Fake Monster,' police conducted 13 searches in several cities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, as well as in São Paulo (southeast), Rio Grande do Sul, and Mato Grosso (west). They had previously given the figure of 15. 'Those involved recruited participants to promote attacks using improvised explosives and Molotov cocktails,' the police further stated. 'Sick with fear' The American singer posted on X after these revelations a message that does not mention the thwarted attack: 'Your heart shines so much, your culture is so vibrant and special, I hope you know how grateful I am to have shared this historic moment with you.' Her fans, affectionately called 'little monsters,' took to social media to express their relief at the police's reaction. 'Thank god. This would have shocked more than two million people,' said the LadyGagaFansTogether account on Instagram. Another fan reacted: 'I am literally sick with fear for her (Lady Gaga) safety.' 'The police acted quietly and without creating panic ... We acted surgically to ensure the crime did not happen,' explained Felipe Curi, a Rio civil police official, as cited in a note from the institution. City authorities, who also hope for economic benefits exceeding $100 million, aim to establish this tradition of the free mega-concert in May to boost tourism during a period considered the low season. Lady Gaga kicked off the evening, perched more than six feet above the stage in a scarlet dress, singing her 2011 hit 'Bloody Mary' to a delirious crowd. The American pop diva, who hadn't performed in Brazil since a tour in 2012, followed with 'Abracadabra,' one of the main tracks from her latest album, 'Mayhem,' released in March. Mid-song, Lady Gaga removed her red dress to reveal another one in the colors of the Brazilian flag.
