A Syrian national has been charged with supporting a foreign terrorist organization after investigators said he helped plan a foiled terrorist attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna last year, German authorities said in a Friday statement.
Mohammed A, a juvenile, has been accused of translating Arabic bomb-building instructions for the would-be attacker, identified as a 19-year-old Beran Aliji, of Austria, and putting him in contact with a member of the Islamic State militia (ISIS), Reuters reported.
"Mohammed A has adhered to the ideology of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) since April 2024 at the latest," the statement said. "Between mid-July and August 2024, he was in contact with a young Austrian who was planning a bomb attack on a concert by Taylor Swift in Vienna."
All three of Taylor Swift's concerts in the Austrian capital were cancelled last August after authorities made numerous arrests following a planned terrorist attack targeting Swift's "Eras Tour" at the Ernst Happel Stadium, which has a capacity of 50,000.
Earlier this month, Austria's coalition government reached a consensus on a strategy to allow law enforcement to monitor the secure messaging of suspects in order to prevent militant attacks. Security officials have stated that this move eliminates a dangerous blind spot for a European Union nation.
The Washington Post disclosed in January that the would-be bomber had considered attacking the Israeli embassy in Vienna before ultimately deciding to target the Taylor Swift concert. Authorities said Aliji swore allegiance to ISIS just weeks before the attempted terrorist attack.
In a text message to an undercover agent he assumed to be an ISIS member, Aliji stated, "I will try to get a gun and bombs..."If that doesn't work, I'll use big knives. Or I'll kill a police officer and take his rifle."
Mohammed A, a juvenile, has been accused of translating Arabic bomb-building instructions for the would-be attacker, identified as a 19-year-old Beran Aliji, of Austria, and putting him in contact with a member of the Islamic State militia (ISIS), Reuters reported.
"Mohammed A has adhered to the ideology of the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS) since April 2024 at the latest," the statement said. "Between mid-July and August 2024, he was in contact with a young Austrian who was planning a bomb attack on a concert by Taylor Swift in Vienna."
All three of Taylor Swift's concerts in the Austrian capital were cancelled last August after authorities made numerous arrests following a planned terrorist attack targeting Swift's "Eras Tour" at the Ernst Happel Stadium, which has a capacity of 50,000.
Earlier this month, Austria's coalition government reached a consensus on a strategy to allow law enforcement to monitor the secure messaging of suspects in order to prevent militant attacks. Security officials have stated that this move eliminates a dangerous blind spot for a European Union nation.
The Washington Post disclosed in January that the would-be bomber had considered attacking the Israeli embassy in Vienna before ultimately deciding to target the Taylor Swift concert. Authorities said Aliji swore allegiance to ISIS just weeks before the attempted terrorist attack.
In a text message to an undercover agent he assumed to be an ISIS member, Aliji stated, "I will try to get a gun and bombs..."If that doesn't work, I'll use big knives. Or I'll kill a police officer and take his rifle."
