Suspected to be planning to kill “tens of thousands” of fans, a scheme to target Taylor Swift’s events in Vienna was thwarted earlier this month. After the CIA discovered the purportedly connected conspiracy to the Islamic State group, they notified Austrian authorities. Following this timely intervention, three sold-out Eras Tour events were canceled and numerous people were arrested.
During the Maryland Intelligence and National Security Summit, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen underlined the gravity of the scheme. Emphasizing that the attackers sought to target a large audience including many Americans and were advanced in their planning, he said According to Austrian officials, the primary suspect-a 19-year-old Austrian-was motivated by the Islamic State and planned to strike outside the stadium, where more than 30,000 people were anticipated. Another 65,000 people would have been in danger inside the venue. Authorities discovered technical tools and chemical compounds as well as during a raid on the suspect’s house.
Swift thanked officials for stopping what would have been a catastrophic disaster and conveyed her grief over the cancellements. She underlined the need of giving safety first priority and admitted her guilt about the event.
The organizers, Barracuda Music, canceled the Vienna gigs when the suspects were arrested just days before the planned events. Comparisons to the 2017 Manchester assault at an Ariana Grande concert highlighted the ongoing threat of extreme violence at public gatherings.
