Man faces trial in Austria over alleged 2024 Taylor Swift Eras Tour bomb plot

A 21-year-old man has gone on trial in Austria over an alleged plan to attack a concert by US pop star Taylor Swift, a plot that forced the cancellation of her shows in the country in 2024.

Authorities scrapped three scheduled dates of Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour in the summer of that year after uncovering the threat.

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The suspect, identified as Beran A., appeared in court under heavy security and has remained in custody since his arrest in August 2024. He faces multiple terrorism-related charges.

Prosecutors allege that Beran A. became a member of the extremist group Islamic State (IS) in May 2023 and began planning an attack targeting Swift’s concert. They say he shared IS propaganda via messaging platforms and openly expressed support for the group.

He is further accused of attempting to obtain weapons and developing a shrapnel-based explosive device, allegedly with guidance from IS operatives on handling explosives.

Investigators also claim he was linked to other planned attacks abroad, including in Dubai and Istanbul, though none were carried out.

A second suspect, 21-year-old Arda K., is standing trial alongside him. Prosecutors say the pair, together with a third man, Hasan E. currently imprisoned in Saudi Arabia, formed a “highly dangerous” IS cell that intended to carry out multiple attacks.

The trial is expected to last four days. If convicted, Beran A. could face up to 20 years in prison.

In a related case last year, a court in Berlin convicted a Syrian teenager for assisting in the plot. The 16-year-old received an 18-month suspended sentence.

Authorities said the planned attack was foiled with assistance from US intelligence. Following the cancellations, Swift wrote on social media that the situation left her with “a new sense of fear” and guilt over disappointing fans who had planned to attend.