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21-year-old man who was allegedly plotting an attack targeting a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna has been sent to prison for 15 years. On May 27, an Austrian court pronounced the verdict for the accused, who was planning an ISIS-inspired terror plot to target the pop diva during her record-breaking Eras Tour in August 2024. According to reports, Austrian officials were warned by the CIA about a possible threat before the arrest was made at that time, leading to the cancellation of the three-day concerts. The case, which shocked fans across the world, highlighted growing concerns over security threats at major public events.
Court sends accused to jail
The accused, identified as Beran A under Austrian privacy laws, was convicted of a string of charges after prosecutors said he had planned a possible terror attack at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium, where Swift was due to stage three sold-out concerts.
In Wiener Neustadt, south of
Vienna, prosecutors said Beran A had become radicalised online and pledged allegiance to a terror outfit at his trial. He also attempted to illegally buy weapons, including a machine gun and a hand grenade, but those efforts were unsuccessful, investigators said.During the proceedings, Beran A apologised and admitted guilt to charges related to the concert plot. "I’m sorry," he told the court before the jury handed down its verdict.During the proceedings, court psychiatrist Peter Hoffmann testified that Beran A showed no signs of mental illness and that there was no medical or psychiatric explanation for his rapid descent into violence.
Alleged attack plot and arrest
On August 7, 2024, one day before the first concert was scheduled to begin, authorities arrested Beran A in connection with the terror plot. After discovering the alleged plot, Taylor and her team, Barracuda Music, cancelled all the Vienna performances at Ernst Happel Stadium and said they would no longer perform there, citing the tragic attack at Ariana Grande’s 2017 Manchester show and prioritising fan safety. The 3-night concert in Vienna was expected to attract more than 170,000 fans.
Taylor Swift, fan reaction in 2024
The decision left almost 200,000 fans who had travelled from different countries to attend the shows devastated. Disappointed Swifties took to the streets of Vienna after cancellation, singing Taylor Swift songs together in solidarity.Swift later spoke publicly about the cancellations, calling them “devastating” but also crediting authorities with preventing what she said was a potentially disastrous situation. The singer later said the incident gave her "a new sense of fear" and the tour had narrowly avoided "a massacre situation".
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