Austrian public prosecutors on Monday filed terrorism-related charges against a 21-year-old suspect accused of planning an attack on one of Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna in August 2024.
Authorities allege the unnamed defendant pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group by sharing propaganda and videos through messaging platforms.
Prosecutors further claim the suspect obtained online instructions for constructing a shrapnel bomb using triacetone triperoxide and produced a small amount of the explosive.
Officials also allege there were “several attempts” to illegally purchase weapons outside Austria and transport them into the country.
The suspect remains in custody, with proceedings expected to move forward in Wiener Neustadt. Austrian authorities had canceled three scheduled Swift shows in Vienna last August after announcing they had foiled an apparent plot targeting the performances. U.S. intelligence played a role in the disruption.
“The United States has an enduring focus on our counterterrorism mission. We work closely with partners all over the world to monitor and disrupt threats. And so as part of that work, the United States did share information with Austrian partners to enable the disruption of a threat to Taylor Swift’s concerts there in Vienna,” then-White House national security spokesman John Kirby said in August 2024.
Taylor Swift shifts focus to U.S. Figure Skating stars
While the legal case unfolds overseas, Swift’s latest public statement centered on a very different stage — international figure skating.
The global superstar joined NBC to introduce three American athletes — Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito — ahead of the women’s single skating short program event in Milan. The trio, who call themselves the Blade Angels, are competing for spots in the free skating final.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Taylor Swift said. “I’d like to introduce you to Amber, Alysa and Isabeau. Three American showgirls on ice who will capture your heart with their stories. Amber will be the first to tell you about how many battles she’s fought. And how the one’s she’s lost has meant as much as the wins. Her superpower now is embracing the fight and daring the world to test her self-belief.
“As for Alysa, she walked away from skating when she was 16. But then, came back on her own terms. Joy fuels her now. Every jump, a celebration. Every performance, a testament to the beauty of knowing yourself. And then, Isabeau. I mean, she’s destiny personified. Her mom grew up in Milan and her grandma lives exactly 13 minutes from the Olympic rink.
“When you can skate like you’re meant to be out there, history has a funny way of showing up. They’re teammates and friends. They call themselves the Blade Angels. And tomorrow night, they’re taking center stage when the show starts in Milan.”
With her words, Taylor Swift shifted the spotlight from fear to inspiration, amplifying the moment for three athletes ready to seize the ice in Milan.