German prosecutors have officially charged a teenager they believe may have been involved in the plot to attack singer-songwriter Taylor Swift in Vienna, Austria, during a concert last year.
Officials said that the suspect, who is a Syrian national living in Germany and identified as Mohammad A., pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group. He is also believed to have helped the main suspect in the scheme by translating bomb-building instructions from Arabic.
Teen Arrested in Connection With Taylor Swift Concert Attack Plot
It is believed that the teenager is not yet in custody because he is still a minor. The incident last year forced the musician to call off three shows in Vienna after police were informed of a credible threat against the concerts. All of the shows were scheduled to be held at the city's Ernst-Happel-Stadion, where authorities expected around 200,000 people would have attended.
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Law enforcement personnel arrested two individuals in the alleged attack plot, and the main suspect, who is an Austrian man and was only 19 years old at the time, is still in custody. The second suspect, who was 17 years old at the time of being arrested, has been released without charge, according to Pitchfork.
After Mohammad A. was arrested, officials said that he was found to have been in contact with the main suspect of the attack plot between mid-July and August last year. On top of translating bomb-building instructions, he also helped organize online contact with an IS member.
Joining the Islamic State Terrorist Group
Officials said he also allegedly provided the Austrian suspect with the text for an oath of allegiance to IS, which was used to join the group. CIA Deputy Director David S. Cohen said that Austrian authorities were able to arrest the suspects because the agency and its partners provided useful information.
The head of Austria's Directorate of State Security and Intelligence, Omar Haijawi-Pirchner, said during a news conference on Aug. 8, 2024, that the main suspect admitted to planning to "carry out an attack" at the singer's concert by using "explosives and knives," People reported.
Reports at the time revealed that the suspect was planning to kill himself and a large number of other people during Swift's concert. The singer-songwriter also opened up about the incident in an Instagram post late last year.
She said being forced to cancel her Vienna shows was "devastating," adding that the situation filled her with a new sense of fear and guilt. Swift also thanked authorities who worked to protect her and her fans.
