Taylor Swift terror attack suspects planned to kill 'a huge number' of fans, CIA official says
Photo credit: Taylor Swift performs onstage at Wembley Stadium on August 16, 2024 in London. Tas2024/Getty Images, FILE
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S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The suspects who plotted an attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna earlier this month planned to kill "a huge number" of people, according to a CIA official.
CIA Deputy Director David Cohen spoke about the foiled terror attack at the Intelligence and National Security Summit in Bethesda, Maryland, on Wednesday.
"They were plotting to kill a huge number -- tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans -- and were quite advanced in this," Cohen said at the summit. "The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do."
"As a result, hundreds of lives, undoubtedly, were saved," he added.
Three suspects -- ages 17, 18 and 19 -- have been arrested in connection with the plot. Intelligence officials said they were inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda, and that bomb-making materials were found in the 19-year-old Austrian citizen's home.
Following the arrests, Swift canceled three sold-out concerts in Vienna, which more than 150,000 fans were expected to attend.
In an Instagram post after the canceled Eras Tour shows, Swift said it was "devastating" having to call off the Vienna tour dates.
"The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows," Swift wrote
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"They were plotting to kill a huge number -- tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans -- and were quite advanced in this," Cohen said at the summit.
"The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do."
What a world we live in. Is ANYBODY completely safe from harm?
Three suspects -- ages 17, 18 and 19 -- have been arrested in connection with the plot. Intelligence officials said they were inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda, and that bomb-making materials were found in the 19-year-old Austrian citizen's home.
Following the arrests, Swift canceled three sold-out concerts in Vienna, which more than 150,000 fans were expected to attend.
Hopefully they will spend an effective number of years behind bars reconsidering what they thought was a smart thing to do. Upon their release, if they are Austrian citizens, they should be stripped of their citizenship and deported to Afghanistan or Iraq.
In an Instagram post after the canceled Eras Tour shows, Swift said it was "devastating" having to call off the Vienna tour dates.
"The reason for the cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows," Swift wrote
I can understand the feelings she's unfortunately had to have about the disappointment of so many good people because of a few horrible examples of humanity.
Still, no matter how small, the risk of a violent attack by followers of people that hate her is very real. ☹️