A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of planning a terrorist attack targeting a Taylor Swift concert during her Eras Tour stop in Vienna.
The suspect, identified in court as Beran A., admitted to being involved in the planned attack ahead of the singer’s scheduled performances in August 2024.
He was arrested just a day before the first of three sold-out shows at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium.
Authorities said the planned attack was stopped after intelligence officials received a warning tip, leading to the cancellation of all three concerts and leaving thousands of fans disappointed and shaken.
During the court hearing, the defendant pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges and apologised for his actions.“I would just like to say that I am sorry,” he told the court before sentencing.
Investigators revealed that the suspect had become radicalised and had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State extremist group.
Prosecutors said he tried to obtain illegal weapons, including a machine gun and hand grenade, and also learned how to make explosives using online extremist materials.
The court heard that he had produced TATP, a highly dangerous explosive substance often linked to terror attacks.A court-appointed psychiatrist testified that the defendant showed no signs of mental illness, saying there was no psychiatric reason behind his radicalisation.Officials said the suspect planned to attack concertgoers outside the stadium using knives and homemade explosives during Swift’s performance.
Another man linked to the same extremist network, identified as Arda K., was also sentenced to 12 years in prison on related terrorism charges.Following the incident, Taylor Swift described the cancellation of the Vienna concerts as heartbreaking and said it left her with “a new sense of fear.” She also thanked authorities for preventing what could have been a tragic loss of lives.
