Taylor Swift concert attack plan: 21-year-old charged with terrorism

Terrorism related charges have been filed against a 21-year-old in connection with a suspected attack on global sensation Taylor Swift's concert in Vienna. The case dates back to 2024 when Austrian authorities cancelled three planned Taylor Swift shows in Vienna after they claimed an alleged plot to target the performances. The shows were as part of her historic Eras Tour.

Taylor Swift concert attack suspect charged with terrorism

On Monday, The Associated Press reported that the Austrian public prosecutors filed the charges against the defendant, who they say planned to attack one of Swift's concerts in Vienna in August 2024.

Vienna public prosecutors claimed that the defendant had declared allegiance to the Islamic State group via propaganda material and videos, which were allegedly shared across various messaging services.

What did the prosecutors say

Vienna prosecutors further accuse the defendant of having “obtained instructions on the internet for the construction of a shrapnel bomb based on the explosive triacetone triperoxide”, typically used by IS, as per AP. It also added that the unnamed 21-year-old produced a small amount of the explosive as well.

It also said that the defendant made "several attempts” to procure or purchase weapons illegally outside the country in an attempt to bring them to Austria for the alleged plot.

Reportedly, Vienna public prosecutors now plan to proceed with a criminal case against the suspect in Wiener Neustadt, a town near the Austrian capital city.

Who is the suspect in alleged Taylor Swift concert attack plot

The spokesperson for the Vienna public prosecutors' office told AP that the defendant was in custody. Going by the Austrian media, the suspect is identified as Beran A. The 21-year-old was reported to have been arrested in August 2024.

Austrian authorities maintain that they foiled the alleged attack on Taylor Swift's concert. Reportedly, the U.S. provided intelligence that led to the decision to cancel the events.

“The United States has an enduring focus on our counterterrorism mission. We work closely with partners all over the world to monitor and disrupt threats. And so as part of that work, the United States did share information with Austrian partners to enable the disruption of a threat to Taylor Swift’s concerts there in Vienna,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby had said back in August 2024.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift is yet to comment regarding the charges.