An Austrian man has pleaded guilty in court to plotting a jihadist attack targeting American singer Taylor Swift’s 2024 concert in Vienna.
The 21-year-old suspect, identified as Beran A, told a court in Wiener Neustadt on Tuesday that he had planned the attack and was part of a terrorist organisation.
According to prosecutors, authorities discovered an almost fully assembled bomb during a search of his house.
The suspect was arrested on August 7 2024, a day before the singer’s scheduled opening performance in Vienna, following a tip-off from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
The arrest led officials to cancel all three concerts at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium.
The suspect is standing trial alongside another 21-year-old man, Arda K, who is accused of belonging to the same organisation.
Prosecutors allege the pair discussed potential attacks not only in Austria but also in Istanbul, Dubai and Mecca.
However, Beran A denied the additional accusations.
In court, his defence lawyer, Anna Mair, acknowledged the fear caused by her client’s actions.
“My client has caused a great deal of fear and panic among many people, and he will have to answer for that, no question,” she said, adding that the case should be viewed “beyond the headlines.”
Prosecutors say Beran A began planning the attack by late July 2024.
He is accused of pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (IS), spreading its propaganda online, and attempting to build explosives using instructions obtained from the group.
He allegedly produced a quantity of triacetone peroxide and tried to illegally acquire weapons, including a machine gun and a hand grenade.
Prosecutors further claimed he received guidance from other IS members on handling explosives and made repeated efforts to source firearms through illicit channels, with the intention of bringing them into Austria.
If convicted, both defendants face up to 20 years under the Austrian Penal Code. The trial is expected to run until late May.
A Syrian teenager identified as Mohammed A received an 18-month suspended sentence in 2025 for assisting the plan.
Prosecutors said he helped translate bomb-making instructions from Arabic and connected Beran A with an IS member.
The 24-year-old singer’s “Eras Tour” scheduled for three nights from August 8 to 10, 2024, sold out nearly 200,000 tickets, plus an additional 30,000 “Swifties” who planned to gather outside the venue to listen.
After the cancellation, she shared that the situation filled her with a “new sense of fear” and a “tremendous amount of guilt” for the fans who had travelled from around the world.
