BERLIN: A thwarted attack plot targeting Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna earlier this month aimed to kill “tens of thousands” of fans before CIA intelligence disrupted the planning and led to arrests, said CIA Deputy Director David Cohen.
The CIA tipped off Austrian authorities about the scheme, which was linked to the Islamic State group, resulting in the cancellation of three sold-out Eras Tour shows and leaving fans heartbroken.
“The suspects intended to cause mass casualties at the concert, including many Americans,” Cohen said at the Intelligence and National Security Summit in Maryland. “Thanks to information from the agency and our partners, Austrian authorities were able to make arrests.”
The main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian man inspired by IS, allegedly planned to use knives or homemade explosives outside the stadium, where tens of thousands were expected. Police discovered chemicals and technical devices during a raid on his home.
Austrian law restricts local investigators from monitoring text messages, necessitating foreign intelligence support.
Swift expressed her gratitude to the authorities, saying, “Thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”
Three suspects were arrested just days before the Vienna shows were to take place. The plot has drawn comparisons to the 2017 Manchester bombing at an Ariana Grande concert, which killed 22 people. Cohen praised the CIA’s intervention, calling it “a significant success for Langley.”
