Austria: Taylor Swift concert plot suspect sentenced to 15 years

An Austrian court convicted on Thursday a man of plotting an attack at a Vienna concert by US singer Taylor Swift in 2024.

A 21-year-old Islamist, who was also found guilty of forming a terror cell, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The defendant, identified as Beran A. in accordance with Austrian privacy laws, is an Austrian citizen of North Macedonian descent.

Before the court adjourned to consider a verdict on Thursday, he said, "I would just like to say that I am sorry."

What do we know about the plot?

In April, Beran A. admitted to planning an attack on the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna in August 2024. The venue was scheduled to host three performances by the US pop megastar during her "Eras" tour.

According to prosecutors, he planned to carry out a jihad-inspired massacre of Swift fans with knives and a bomb.

Before the planned attack, Beran A. allegedly communicated with members of the "Islamic State" group about purchasing weapons and making bombs.

Prosecutors also said that, in the days before the performance, the defendant sought to illegally purchase weapons and swore allegiance to the militant group.

He was arrested on August 7, 2024, the day before the first of Swift's three planned concerts in the Austrian capital. On the same day, authorities searched his apartment and found bomb-making materials.

All three concerts were subsequently canceled, much to the dismay of fans and Swift herself. She later described the cancellations as "devastating."

Edited by: Sean Sinico

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