A 16-year-old Syrian national has avoided prison after helping plan a foiled terrorist attack on Taylor Swift's Vienna concerts. Mohamed A received an 18-month suspended sentence from a Berlin court on Tuesday under juvenile criminal law.
The teenager was just 14 when he supported the plot by translating bomb-making instructions from Arabic and connecting the main suspect with an Islamic State member. He made a full confession during closed-door proceedings.
Massive concert cancellation
Swift's three sold-out concerts at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium were cancelled in August last year after authorities uncovered the terror plot. According to Sky News, each show would have attracted 65,000 fans inside the stadium with an additional 30,000 outside.
The main suspect reportedly planned to target fans gathered outside the venue to "kill as many people as possible". The cancellations potentially prevented a mass casualty attack affecting up to 95,000 concert-goers per show.
International intelligence success
The BBC reports that a CIA tip-off led to arrests before the concerts, demonstrating successful international cooperation in preventing the attack. Three suspects, all teenagers at the time, were detained by Austrian authorities over the plot.
The main suspect, 20-year-old Austrian Beran A, remains in custody with his investigation ongoing. According to the Independent, Mohamed A faced charges of preparing a serious act of violence and supporting a terrorist act abroad.
Swift's grateful response
Swift described the cancellation as "devastating" but expressed gratitude to authorities. "I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives," she said.
The case highlights the ongoing international terror threat to large entertainment events, with investigators alleging the main suspect had also planned an earlier attack in Dubai in March 2024.
Sources used: "BBC", "Independent", "Sky News"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
