CIA Foils Plot to Attack Taylor Swift Concerts in Vienna, Saving Tens of Thousands of Lives
The suspects in the foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna earlier this month aimed to kill “tens of thousands” of fans before the CIA uncovered intelligence that led to their arrests, according to the agency’s Deputy Director David Cohen.
The CIA alerted Austrian authorities to the scheme, which was allegedly linked to the Islamic State group. The intelligence and subsequent arrests led to the cancellation of three sold-out Eras Tour shows, disappointing fans who had traveled from around the world to see Swift perform.
Cohen discussed the failed plot during the annual Intelligence and National Security Summit in Maryland, stating, “They were plotting to kill a huge number—tens of thousands of people at this concert, including many Americans—and were quite advanced in this.” He credited the CIA and its partners in the intelligence community for providing crucial information that enabled Austrian authorities to make the arrests.
Austrian officials identified the main suspect as a 19-year-old Austrian man who was reportedly inspired by the Islamic State group. He allegedly planned to attack outside the stadium, where around 30,000 fans were expected, using knives or homemade explosives. Another 65,000 fans were anticipated to be inside the venue. During a raid of the suspect’s home, investigators found chemical substances and technical devices.
Austria’s Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, noted that assistance from foreign intelligence agencies was necessary because Austrian investigators cannot legally monitor text messages.
The 19-year-old suspect’s lawyer described the allegations as “overacting at its best” and accused authorities of exaggerating the threat to justify new surveillance powers.
Swift addressed the cancellations after her London shows concluded, stating, “Having our Vienna shows canceled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear and guilt because so many people had planned on attending.” She thanked the authorities, noting, “Thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”
Concert organizer Barracuda Music cited the proximity of the arrests to the show dates as the reason for canceling the three-night Vienna run, which was scheduled to start on August 8. The primary suspect and a 17-year-old were taken into custody on August 6, with a third suspect, 18, arrested on August 8. Their names have not been released, adhering to Austrian privacy laws.
The Vienna plot has drawn comparisons to the 2017 suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England, which killed 22 people, marking one of the deadliest extremist attacks in recent UK history.
Cohen commended the CIA’s efforts in preventing the planned violence, highlighting that many counterterrorism successes often go unrecognized. “I can tell you within my agency, and I’m sure in others, there were people who thought that was a really good day for Langley,” Cohen said, referring to the CIA headquarters. “And not just the Swifties in my workforce.”
The record-breaking Eras Tour is currently on hiatus until the fall.
Source: Associated Press
