A 21-year-old man in Austria faces up to 20 years in prison for allegedly plotting a terror attack on a Taylor Swift concert, leading to the 2024 cancellations.
VIENNA: Austrian prosecutors have filed terror charges against a 21-year-old man over an alleged plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in the capital.
The main suspect, who has been in detention since his arrest in August 2024, is accused of being a member of a terror organisation from May 2023.
He is charged with “planning and preparing a terrorist attack on the concert of singer Taylor Swift,” according to a statement from prosecutors.
Authorities said he participated and “openly aligned himself” with the Islamic State group by sharing its propaganda through messaging services.
Prosecutors allege he tried to acquire weapons and worked on making a shrapnel bomb “specific to IS attacks” for the planned concert assault.
He also allegedly received instructions from other IS members on handling explosives as part of the plot.
The man is further accused of involvement in other foiled attack plans abroad, including in Dubai and Istanbul.
If found guilty, he faces a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years.
The plot led to the cancellation of three dates on Swift’s “Eras” tour in Austria during the summer of 2024.
The threat was thwarted with assistance from US intelligence agencies.
Last year, a Berlin court convicted a 16-year-old Syrian teenager for contributing to the same plot.
The youth received an 18-month suspended sentence for his role.
Following the 2024 cancellations, Swift wrote on social media about the profound impact of the news.
She said “the reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many had planned on coming to those shows”.
