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.
