An Austrian citizen, identified in legal proceedings as Beran A., has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in a foiled terror plot targeting Taylor Swift‘s 2024 Eras Tour date in Vienna. Given the nature of the charges, which were classified as terrorism-related, the defendant faced a potential sentence ranging from 10 to 20 years.
The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to conspiring to carry out an attack in April, though he maintained his innocence regarding other specific charges. Prosecutors alleged that the defendant collaborated with a Slovak national, identified as Arda K., to plan attacks in the Middle East, and was also linked to a third individual arrested on suspicion of executing a knife attack in Mecca. While Beran A. denied involvement with the third individual, he was found guilty on multiple counts, including those directly related to the planned concert attack.
According to reports, prosecutors presented evidence that the defendant had followed instructional videos from ISIS regarding bomb-making and had attempted to illegally acquire weapons, including a machine gun and a hand grenade, with the intent to target fans attending the concert. During the proceedings on May 28, the defendant addressed the court, stating, “I would just like to say that I am sorry.”
The plot aimed to target the crowds gathered outside Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, where approximately 65,000 fans were expected to attend each night of the tour. Authorities estimated that as many as 30,000 people could have been present in the vicinity of the stadium at the time of the intended attack.
Defense attorney Anna Mair stated that her client expressed deep regret for his actions, describing the plot as “the biggest mistake of his life.” Following the discovery of the threat, the Vienna shows were canceled, a decision that Taylor Swift later addressed in a public statement. “Having our Vienna shows canceled was devastating,” she wrote. “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.”