CIA: Taylor Swift’s Austria Concert Targeted for Massive Terror Attack

A CIA official has shared more details about the foiled terrorist plot targeting Taylor Swift’s Austria concert. CIA Deputy Director David Cohen revealed that the individuals apprehended had intended to kill “tens of thousands of people.” Due to this threat, Swift had to cancel her three shows in Austria, which were expected to draw a staggering crowd of 200,000 fans.

In a talk at the Intelligence and National Security Summit in Maryland, Cohen disclosed that the CIA provided crucial information to Austrian authorities, leading to the arrest of “four individuals who were plotting to attack a Taylor Swift concert.” These individuals were discovered with explosives and bomb-making materials and had managed to gain access to the concert venue.

“They were plotting to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people at this concert, including, I’m sure, many Americans,” Cohen stated. He emphasized that the arrests were possible due to the collaborative efforts of the CIA and other intelligence community partners. “Hundreds of lives undoubtedly were saved,” he added, noting that the group had connections to ISIS.

Taylor Swift was slated to perform three shows from August 8 to 10 at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, an event that would have drawn approximately 200,000 people. However, following confirmation from government officials of the terrorist threat, Austrian concert promoter Barracuda Music announced via Instagram, “With confirmation from government officials of a planned terrorist attack at Ernst Happel Stadium, we have no choice but to cancel the three scheduled shows for everyone’s safety.”

Swift remained silent about the concert cancellations until the European leg of her tour concluded. On August 21, she expressed her feelings in an Instagram post, stating, “Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating. The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt.”

She continued, “But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.” Her statement reflected both the emotional toll of the cancellations and gratitude towards the authorities for their timely intervention.

Source: Business Insider