Austrian national Beran A. has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted over a foiled jihadist attack targeting a Taylor Swift concert, according to Channels Television.
The verdict was delivered on Thursday by a court in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, following a trial that found the 21-year-old guilty of planning a terror attack and forming an Islamic State (IS) cell.
Prosecutors told the court that Beran A. had been arrested the day before the cancelled Vienna concerts in 2024, part of Taylor Swift’s record-breaking “Eras Tour”, after intelligence agencies uncovered the plot.
The court heard that the accused had selected the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna as a potential target and had sought instructions on bomb-making and weapons through online channels linked to IS members. He admitted during proceedings that he had become convinced he “had to wage jihad”, although he also said he feared death.
Beran A. was found guilty on all counts, while a co-defendant, Arda K., received a 12-year sentence for related offences. A third alleged accomplice, Hasan E., is currently detained in Saudi Arabia over a separate attack case.
The prosecution argued that the group had formed a “highly dangerous IS terror cell” planning multiple attacks, while defence lawyers disputed elements of the charges. The court ultimately imposed a 15-year sentence, below the maximum possible 20 years.
Taylor Swift later said the cancellations left her with “fear” and “guilt” due to fans who had planned to attend the shows.
