Taylor Swift attack plot foiled: CIA and Austrian police save thousands

During the annual Intelligence and National Security Summit held this week in Maryland, CIA Deputy Director David Cohen referred to the foiled attacks on participants of the August Taylor Swift concert in Vienna.

Cohen stated that it was the CIA that informed Austrian partners about four individuals linked to the so-called Islamic State (IS) who were planning the attack. Some of those arrested on the eve of the first Vienna performance of the American star had access to the venue where the concert was to be held.

"They were plotting to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people at this concert, I am sure many Americans," said the CIA deputy director on Wednesday.

Two days before the first of the planned concerts, Austrian authorities arrested two people accused of planning a terrorist attack; others were detained in the following days. They were equipped with weapons and homemade explosive devices. About 30,000 fans were expected outside the stadium, and 65,000 would be inside. IS terrorist attacks inspired the main suspect.

The attack plans in Austria resembled the suicide bombing at Ariana Grande's concert in Manchester, England in 2017, the AP agency recalled. At that time, the bomb was detonated just after the concert. Twenty-two people died, including children and teenagers, and over 100 were injured. IS claimed responsibility for the attack. The perpetrator, Salman Abedi, was 22 years old.

Cohen did not reveal how the CIA learned about the planned attack, noted the American newspaper "New York Times," reminding that the intelligence agency had previously warned other countries about terrorist plots. Earlier this year, the CIA warned authorities in Iran and Russia that ISIS-Khorasan, the Afghan branch of the Islamic State, intended to carry out attacks during an anniversary mourning ceremony at an Iranian cemetery and during a concert near Moscow. However, these countries did not prevent the attacks.

Cohen emphasised that warnings about imminent attacks are sometimes ignored, but Austrian authorities acted differently. The concerts were cancelled, and Taylor Swift thanked the authorities on her social media, saying that thanks to them, "we were grieving concerts and not lives".

"I can tell you within my agency and others, there were people who thought that was a really good day for Langley," Cohen said, referring to the CIA headquarters. "And not just for the Swifties (fans of Taylor Swift) in the workforce," he added.

Source: PAP, AP