The CIA has revealed that suspects in a foiled plot to attack a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna had plans to kill “a huge number” of people at the event. The intelligence provided by the agency to Austrian authorities allowed them to disrupt the plot and save “hundreds of lives”, according to CIA’s deputy director David Cohen.
Mr. Cohen emphasized that there were “tens of thousands of people at this concert, I am sure many Americans”, highlighting the severity of the potential attack. Three male teenage suspects were arrested in connection with the foiled plot, allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group.
Speaking at an annual intelligence summit outside Washington, DC, Mr. Cohen praised the successful operation, stating that it was a “good day for Langley”, the CIA headquarters. He credited the agency and their partners in the intelligence community for providing crucial information to the Austrian authorities.
The main suspect, a 19-year-old Austrian citizen, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and had focused on Taylor Swift’s Eras tour as a target. Authorities revealed that he hoped to “kill as many people as possible” at the concert.
Following the cancellation of the Vienna shows due to the security threat, Taylor Swift expressed her gratitude to the authorities for preventing a potential tragedy. She described the situation as “devastating” but acknowledged that it was better to cancel concerts than risk lives.
Swift, who recently broke a record for the most solo concerts at Wembley Stadium, is set to continue her tour with a show in Miami, Florida on 18 October. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing threat of terrorism and the importance of intelligence agencies in preventing such attacks.
