A 21-year-old Austrian man is expected to plead guilty to terrorism charges linked to a foiled plot to attack one of Taylor Swift's concerts in Vienna, according to his attorney. The case has drawn comparisons to the deadly 2017 Manchester Arena bombing that targeted fans at an Ariana Grande show.
Background
Beran A., whose full name cannot be published under Austrian privacy laws, was arrested in August 2024 after authorities say they uncovered a plan to strike during Swift's Eras Tour performances at Ernst Happel Stadium. The concerts were canceled just days before they were set to begin, devastating fans who had traveled from across the globe for the shows.
The defendant allegedly planned to target up to 30,000 people gathered outside the stadium each night, with another 65,000 inside the venue. Prosecutors say he hoped to "kill as many people as possible" using knives or homemade explosives. Austrian authorities searched his apartment on Aug. 7, 2024 — one day before the first scheduled performance — and discovered bomb-making materials.
Swift learned of the bomb plot while on a plane flying to Austria, according to her Eras Tour documentary. "The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows," she wrote in an Instagram statement at the time.
The Charges
Beran A. faces charges including terrorist offenses and membership in a terrorist organization. He could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison if convicted. His defense attorney, Anna Mair, told The Associated Press that her client plans to plead guilty to most of the charges but did not specify which ones.
He is being tried alongside Arda K., who also faces terrorism-related charges in connection with a separate plot for simultaneous attacks in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates during Ramadan in 2024. A third man, Hasan E., allegedly stabbed a security guard at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on March 11, 2024, and remains in pretrial detention there.
U.S. intelligence played a critical role in foiling the Vienna plot. "The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do," CIA Deputy Director David Cohen said after the arrests.
Key Takeaways
- Beran A., 21, is expected to plead guilty to most terrorism charges at his trial in Wiener Neustadt, Austria
- He allegedly planned to attack up to 95,000 people outside and inside Ernst Happel Stadium during Swift's concerts
- Bomb-making materials were found in his apartment searched Aug. 7, 2024 — one day before the first scheduled show
- U.S. intelligence provided by the CIA led to the arrests that prevented the attacks from being carried out
- The case draws parallels to the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing at an Ariana Grande concert that killed 22 people
What's Next
The trial is being held in Wiener Neustadt, about an hour south of Vienna. Proceedings are set to continue May 12. Beran A.'s sentencing hearing will follow once plea proceedings conclude.