Man jailed for 15 years after plotting terror attack at Taylor Swift concert

An Austrian man has been jailed for 15 years for plotting to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna during her record-breaking Eras tour.

The 21-year-old defendant, known only as Beran A, was accused of planning to use knives or homemade explosives to kill people at one of the singer's shows in the capital in August 2024.

The plot was thwarted but authorities still cancelled Swift's three concerts at the Ernst Happel Stadium.

Many fans were travelling from outside the country for the US star's Vienna shows.

Referred to in court as Beran A due to Austria's privacy laws, he pleaded guilty to the main concert plot charges when the trial began last month.

Prosecutors said he attempted to buy weapons, including a machine gun and hand ‌grenade, and used an Islamic State video to try to make explosives.

The video was called "Make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom".

Beran A also networked with IS members ahead of the planned attack and swore allegiance to the militant group, it was alleged.

Authorities searched his apartment on 7 August 2024, and found bomb-making materials. The concerts were scheduled to begin the next day.

Beran A was accused at the same trial of plotting separately, with two school friends, to carry out a solo attack earlier in 2024 in separate Middle Eastern cities.

He and co-defendant, known only as Arda K, admitted they travelled to Dubai and Istanbul respectively to carry out attacks but then did not follow through.

Beran A said he roamed Dubai, in March 2024, in search of victims to stab but then had a panic attack when he tried to strike, the state court heard in Wiener Neustadt, south of Vienna.

When he returned to the Austrian capital, he resolved to go further and eventually chose the concert as his target.

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Beran A covered his face ​with a ring binder as he entered the courtroom to avoid being identified in pictures.

Before the verdict, the man told the court he was sorry.

In short final words to the court before it was adjourned, Beran A said: "I would just like to say that I am sorry."

His defence lawyer, Anna Mair, said her client was "not an ideological mastermind".

Arda K was given a 12-year jail sentence.

(c) Sky News 2026: Man jailed for 15 years after plotting terror attack at Taylor Swift concert