CIA "Prevented Swift Bean Concert Terror Plot Through Intelligence Sharing"

"Plan to Shoot Tens of Thousands of Audience Members Including Americans"

It has been confirmed that the Austrian authorities' arrest of a terrorist plot group ahead of pop star Taylor Swift's concert in Vienna, Austria, was based on intelligence provided by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

According to foreign media reports including Politico on the 29th (local time), David Cohen, Deputy Director of the CIA, stated at the annual National Security Council meeting, "They (the group planning the terrorist attack) intended to kill tens of thousands of attendees at the concert, including many Americans."

Pop star Taylor Swift

Deputy Director Cohen said, "The reason Austrian authorities were able to arrest the suspects was because we and our partners provided information on what this group linked to the Islamic State (IS) was planning."

Swift was scheduled to hold three concerts in Vienna, Austria, from the 8th to the 10th. However, the concerts were completely canceled after the Austrian government confirmed a terrorist attack plan targeting the venue the night before the first performance.

Austrian police arrested two 19-year-old men on the 7th, the day before the concert, in Terinz, south of Vienna, on charges of attempting terrorism, and the next day arrested an 18-year-old Iraqi citizen in Vienna on the same charges.

On the 21st, after concluding the European leg of her Eras Tour, Swift posted on her Instagram, saying, "It was truly shocking that the Vienna concert was canceled," and added, "The reason for the cancellation filled me with new fear and immense guilt."