Austrian to plead guilty to plotting terror attack on Taylor Swift concert
An Austrian man has pleaded guilty to plotting a terror attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna. The plot, linked to ISIS, was thwarted, leading to the cancellation of Swift's performances in August 2024. The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and has expressed regret for his actions.
- ▪The defendant, known as Beran A., is a 21-year-old Austrian citizen who pledged allegiance to ISIS.
- ▪He planned to attack concertgoers with knives or homemade explosives, targeting tens of thousands of people.
- ▪The U.S. provided intelligence that helped Austrian authorities thwart the attack and cancel the concerts.
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Crime Austrian pleads guilty to plotting ISIS-linked terror attack on Taylor Swift concert Updated on: April 28, 2026 / 8:06 AM EDT / CBS/AP Add CBS News on Google Wiener Neustadt, Austria — A man accused of pledging allegiance to ISIS and plotting to attack one of superstar singer Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna nearly two years ago pleaded guilty as his trial began on Tuesday, Austria media reported.The plot was thwarted, but Austrian authorities still canceled Swift's three performances in August 2024. The singer's fans, known as Swifties, who had flown to Austria from across the globe to attend a performance of her record-setting Eras Tour were devastated, but rallied to turn Vienna into a citywide trading post for friendship bracelets and singalongs.
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