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Austrian court delivers verdict in Taylor Swift concert terror case
A 21-year-old man identified as Beran A has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for plotting a jihadist attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna last August, Austrian authorities confirmed on Friday.
Plot uncovered ahead of sold-out shows
Beran A was arrested following a tip from the CIA just hours before Swift's first of three scheduled performances at Vienna's Ernst Happel Stadium. The three concerts, which had drawn nearly 200,000 fans, were promptly canceled.
Swift later revealed in her Eras Tour documentary that she learned of the bomb plot while en route to Austria, calling the situation a narrowly avoided "massacre."
Radicalization and failed weapon procurement
Prosecutors stated Beran A had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) and attempted to illegally acquire weapons, including a machine gun and hand grenade, though he was unsuccessful. Court-appointed psychiatrist Peter Hoffmann testified that the defendant showed no signs of mental illness, describing his radicalization as lacking a "psychiatric explanation."
Co-defendant receives 12-year sentence
A second 21-year-old man, Arda K from Slovakia, was tried alongside Beran A for IS-related offenses but was not linked to the concert plot. He received a 12-year prison term.
During Thursday's proceedings, Beran A expressed remorse before the jury deliberated for several hours.
Swift's reaction: Gratitude amid fear
In the aftermath of the foiled attack, Swift shared her distress on Instagram, writing that the cancellations left her with "a tremendous amount of guilt" and a "new sense of fear." She added, "I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives."
