A 21-year-old Austrian man has pleaded guilty to plotting to
carry out a jihadist attack at a concert by US singer Taylor Swift in Vienna in
2024.
The man, identified as Beran A, appeared on Tuesday before a
court in Wiener Neustadt, south of the Austrian capital, on charge bordering on
terrorism and other related offences.
According to Austrian outlets Kurier and Kronen Zeitung, he
pleaded guilty to charge related to the concert plot.
Prosecutors said Beran A was arrested on August 7, 2024,
following a tip-off from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), just a day
before the singer’s scheduled performance.
The planned attack led to the cancellation of Swift’s three
sold-out shows at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, where over 195,000 fans
were expected to attend.
Despite the cancellations, thousands of fans gathered in
Vienna’s streets, singing Swift’s songs and exchanging friendship bracelets in
solidarity.
Beran A is standing trial alongside Arda K, another
21-year-old suspect, who prosecutors said was part of the same terror cell
linked to the Islamic State (IS).
The duo are accused of planning additional attacks in cities
including Mecca, Istanbul, and Dubai.
Ahead of the trial, Anna Mair, counsel to Beran A, said her
client would partially plead guilty to the charge.
Prosecutors allege that the suspect pledged allegiance to
IS, disseminated propaganda online and attempted to procure weapons illegally.
He is also accused of acquiring bomb-making instructions
online, including how to produce a shrapnel explosive device using triacetone
triperoxide (TATP), a substance often associated with IS attacks.
Authorities claim he received training from IS operatives on
handling explosives and made multiple attempts to purchase firearms and a hand
grenade through illegal channels for import into Austria.
Investigators said the attack planning began no later than
July 21, 2024. If convicted, both suspects face up to 20 years in prison.
Similarly, a teenager in Germany was handed an 18-month
suspended sentence for assisting in the foiled plot.
Prosecutors said the Syrian national, identified as Mohammed
A, helped translate bomb-making instructions from Arabic and connected Beran A
with an IS member.
The trial is expected to continue until late May.
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