CIA reveals thwarted plot aimed to kill ‘tens of thousands’ at Taylor Swift’s concert
At a security conference in Maryland on Wednesday, August 29, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen disclosed that the foiled plot targeting Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert in Vienna aimed to kill “tens of thousands” of the artist’s fans.
Intelligence plays key role in thwarting attack
Cohen outlined the critical role of intelligence in preventing the attack, stating that the CIA’s information was pivotal in aiding Austrian authorities. “They were plotting to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people at this concert, I am sure many Americans,” Cohen said. He praised the collaborative efforts between the CIA, its partners, and Austrian officials, adding, “The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do.”
Three teenagers were arrested in connection with the plot
The plot, allegedly linked to the Islamic State group, led to the arrest of three teenage males. Cohen did not reveal the specifics of how the CIA uncovered the scheme but highlighted the successful intervention by the agency.
“I can tell you within my agency, and I’m sure in others, there were people who thought that was a really good day for Langley (referring to the location of the CIA headquarters in Virginia). And not just the Swifties in my workforce,” he remarked.
Concerts canceled amid security threats
Approximately 200,000 attendees were expected at one of Swift’s three Vienna concerts, part of the European leg of her Eras tour. The concerts, scheduled to start on August 8, were canceled by Barracuda Music, the event organizers, following the warning from Austrian authorities about the disrupted plot.
Authorities identified the main suspect as a 19-year-old Austrian citizen who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. The suspect specifically targeted the Eras tour with the intent of “killing as many people as possible.”
Taylor Swift’s response to the attack
Taylor Swift publicly addressed the attack for the first time last week. On Instagram, she expressed her devastation over the concert cancellations and gratitude toward the authorities. “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. But I was also so grateful to the authorities because, thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives,” Swift wrote.