Austria Charges Suspect in Alleged ISIS Plot to Attack Taylor Swift Concert

Prosecutors say 21-year-old defendant obtained bomb-making instructions and tried to illegally purchase weapons

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Austrian prosecutors have filed terrorism-related charges against a 21-year-old suspect who they say planned to carry out an attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna in 2024. The defendant is accused of declaring allegiance to ISIS, obtaining bomb-making instructions, and attempting to illegally purchase weapons from outside the country.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing threat of terrorism and the need for vigilance, especially around high-profile events and public gatherings. It also underscores the importance of international cooperation in counterterrorism efforts.

The details

According to prosecutors, the unnamed defendant shared ISIS propaganda materials, obtained instructions for making a shrapnel bomb, and made multiple attempts to illegally purchase weapons outside of Austria to bring back and use in an attack. The suspect was arrested in August 2024, leading to the cancellation of three planned Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna that month.

  • The defendant was arrested in August 2024.
  • The planned Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna were canceled in August 2024.

The players

Beran A.

The 21-year-old suspect charged in the alleged ISIS plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna.

Vienna Public Prosecutors Office

The prosecutors who filed the terrorism-related charges against the suspect.

Taylor Swift

The American singer whose concerts in Vienna were targeted in the alleged plot.

John Kirby

The former White House national security spokesman who confirmed that the U.S. shared intelligence to help disrupt the threat to Taylor Swift's concerts.

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What they’re saying

“The United States has an enduring focus on our counterterrorism mission. We work closely with partners all over the world to monitor and disrupt threats. And so as part of that work, the United States did share information with Austrian partners to enable the disruption of a threat to Taylor Swift's concerts there in Vienna.”

— John Kirby, Former White House National Security Spokesman

What’s next

The suspect is currently in custody and will face a criminal trial in Wiener Neustadt, a town near Vienna.

The takeaway

This case underscores the ongoing threat of terrorism and the need for international cooperation to monitor and disrupt potential attacks, especially around high-profile events. It also highlights the importance of vigilance and information-sharing between law enforcement and intelligence agencies to protect public safety.