Austrian authorities have charged a 27-year-old man with terrorism offenses related to a plot to attack Taylor Swift concerts scheduled to take place in Vienna in August 2024, according to prosecutors announced Monday.
The suspect, an Austrian national, is accused of planning to disrupt the Eras Tour concerts with the intention of causing serious harm, though authorities have not detailed the specific method of attack. The investigation began in September 2023 after authorities received a tip about a potential threat to the concerts, the BBC reported.
Prosecutors allege the man was motivated by extremist ideology. The charges filed against him include membership in a terrorist organization and the preparation of a terrorist act, according to a statement released by the Austrian Prosecutor’s Office for Criminal Matters.
The investigation revealed the suspect had been attempting to acquire the necessary means to carry out the attack, though authorities have not disclosed what those means were. He was taken into custody in September 2023 and has been held in pre-trial detention since then.
The planned concerts, which were scheduled for August 8-10, 2024, at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna, are still scheduled to proceed as planned with enhanced security measures, officials stated.
The South China Morning Post reported that the investigation was conducted by the State Criminal Police Office in Vienna, with support from the Austrian intelligence services.
Authorities have not released further details about the suspect’s background or potential connections to other extremist groups, citing ongoing investigative concerns. The case remains under investigation, and a trial date has not yet been set.
