According to Pitchfork, a 16-year-old boy has been convicted in Germany for his alleged involvement in terror plan targeting a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna. The teenager, identified as Mohamed A, was handed an 18-month suspended sentence under juvenile criminal law by a Berlin court on August 26. As reported by the BBC, Mohamed A, a Syrian national who was just 14 at the time of the suspected plot, admitted to the charges during the court proceedings.
Prosecutors claimed that Mohamed A was allegedly radicalized by Islamic State propaganda online and assisted the other suspects by translating instructions for making explosives from Arabic. He was not kept in custody due to his age but was officially charged by German prosecutors in June.
The planned attack was never carried out, and no injuries occurred. Authorities were alerted to a credible threat, which led to the cancellation of all three of Swift’s concerts at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion last August. Nearly 200,000 fans were expected to attend. Thanks to swift police intervention, the alleged plan was disrupted in time.
Three individuals were arrested in connection with the case. The primary suspect, Beran A, an Austrian citizen who was 19 at the time of his arrest, remains in custody. He is also under investigation for allegedly planning a separate attack in Dubai in March 2024. A second suspect, aged 17 at the time, has since been released without charge. Mohamed A was the third suspect and was allegedly involved in the planning phase.
“Having our Vienna shows cancelled was devastating. But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives,” Swift wrote on Instagram after the real reason behind the cancellation became public. “Let me be very clear: I am not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who would want to harm the fans who come to my shows. In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to. My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that.”
The case remains under investigation as authorities continue to examine the alleged plot and those believed to be involved.
Leave a Comment