Teen convicted in foiled Taylor Swift concert attack
What's the story
A 16-year-old boy has been convicted by a German court for supporting a foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift's concerts in Austria last year. The Syrian national, identified as Mohammad A by prosecutors, was found guilty of preparing a serious act of violence and supporting a terrorist act of violence abroad. He has been sentenced to a suspended 18-month prison term.
Details
Boy was in contact with 1 of the suspects
The court found that the boy, then 14, had been in contact with a young man in Austria who was planning to attack a Swift concert. He reportedly sent his acquaintance a video with bomb-building instructions and organized contact with an Islamic State member. The boy confessed to these charges during his trial, which was held behind closed doors due to his age.
Discovery
The plot to attack Swift's concerts
The plot to attack Swift's concerts was discovered on August 7, 2024, leading to the cancellation of three shows in Vienna. Austrian authorities arrested two suspects just before the concerts were scheduled to take place. They had expected around 65,000 fans inside the stadium for each concert and an additional 30,000 outside. A day later, a third suspect was arrested, and bomb-making materials were found at one of their homes.
Engagement news
Meanwhile, Swift announces engagement to Travis Kelce
The news of the boy's conviction comes shortly after Swift announced her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce. The singer shared a five-photo post on Instagram, captioned "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married," with a dynamite stick emoji. The post reportedly crashed Instagram and became her most-liked post ever, garnering over 27 million likes.