Austrian prosecutors announced Monday that terrorism and other charges have been brought against a 21-year-old individual. This man is alleged to be part of a terrorist group that had plans to execute an attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna during 2024.
The accused, whose identity remains undisclosed, reportedly declared his loyalty to the Islamic State group through online platforms. While the attack was successfully prevented, lingering security concerns prompted the cancellation of three of the pop star’s scheduled concerts in Austria.
Prosecutors assert that the primary objective was to target the concert. They also accuse the man of downloading instructions from ISIS for creating a shrapnel bomb, described as ‘specifically designed’ for terrorist acts. Charges include receiving guidance on the deployment and usage of these dangerous materials.
Furthermore, the man is implicated in multiple attempts to acquire firearms and a hand grenade, allegedly directing illicit dealers to smuggle these weapons into Austria.
Currently in custody since August 2024, the suspect could face a prison sentence of up to 20 years if found guilty, according to prosecutors.
Austrian officials have confirmed that the initial intelligence regarding the threat to Ms. Swift’s concerts originated from American agencies.
These canceled performances were a segment of Ms. Swift’s immensely popular Eras Tour, anticipated to attract tens of thousands of dedicated fans.
This recent threat echoes past tragic attacks on music venues. In 2015, an Islamic State assault on a Paris concert hall and other locations resulted in 130 fatalities. Similarly, in 2017, a bomber linked to ISIS tragically killed at least 22 people at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, dying in the attack himself.
Last year, German prosecutors charged a Syrian teenager residing in Germany with aiding the conspiracy behind the averted Vienna concert attack.
In the German case, the teenager, identified only as Mohammad A. due to privacy regulations, was accused of assisting with the translation of Arabic bomb-making instructions and an oath of allegiance to ISIS for the primary suspect in the Austrian plot. The teenager, approximately 14 at the time of the foiled plot, was convicted and received an 18-month suspended sentence under juvenile criminal law.