The deputy director of the CIA recently confirmed that a terrorist plot targeting Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna earlier this month was intended to kill “a huge number” of people, including Americans.
David S. Cohen shared this information at the Intelligence and National Security Summit, which was also shown on CSPAN. He explained that the CIA provided the critical intelligence that helped Austrian authorities prevent the attack.
“They were planning to kill tens of thousands of people at this concert, including many Americans,” Cohen said. “The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the CIA and our intelligence partners gave them information about the ISIS-linked group’s plans.”
In early August, Taylor Swift canceled three concerts at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium after learning about the bomb threat. On August 7, authorities arrested a 17-year-old and a 19-year-old who were suspected of planning the attacks on Swift’s concerts scheduled for August 8-10. An 18-year-old was also arrested on August 8, and a 15-year-old was questioned by the police but was not named as a suspect.
Swift addressed the cancellations on social media, calling them “devastating.” She wrote, “Walking onstage in London was an emotional rollercoaster. Canceling our Vienna shows was heartbreaking, but I am so grateful to the authorities for stopping the threat. Thanks to them, we were grieving the loss of concerts, not lives.”
Swift also expressed her appreciation for the fans who showed unity during this tough time. She focused on keeping nearly half a million fans safe at her London shows, working closely with stadium staff and British authorities. She added, “I won’t speak about something publicly if I think it might provoke those who want to harm my fans.”
Initially, Swift did not comment on the cancellations but later explained her decision to protect herself and her fans. She said, “Sometimes staying silent is about showing restraint and waiting for the right moment to speak. My main concern was completing our European tour safely, and I’m relieved we did that.”
Austrian concert organizers had expected up to 65,000 fans inside the stadium for each concert and an additional 30,000 outside, where the suspects were allegedly planning to attack. One suspect admitted that their goal was to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.”
Authorities found bomb-making materials in at least one of the suspects’ homes. The 19-year-old had bomb-making manuals, homemade explosives, detonators, and hydrogen peroxide. The 17-year-old had materials related to ISIS and al Qaeda at his home. Due to Austrian privacy laws, the names of the suspects have not been released to the public.
