Teen Found Guilty in Taylor Swift Concert Terror Plot

A court in Berlin has convicted a 16-year-old of assisting a foiled terror plot that targeted Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna last year.

The conviction:

• The teen, publicly known as Mohamad A, received a suspended 18-month sentence.

• He was 14 when he became involved in the terror plot, helping to translate bomb-making instructions from Arabic.

• Prosecutors claimed the Syrian teen was radicalized by Islamic State propaganda online.

The shows:

• The three performances were scheduled to take place at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium between August 8 – 10.

• Promoter Barracuda Music canceled the sold-out shows on August 7 after two suspects were arrested in the nearby town of Ternitz on August 6.

• A third was apprehended on August 8.

The plot:

• It is believed the main suspect, Beran A, wanted to carry out an attack outside the stadium, where thousands of fans who were unable to get tickets would gather to listen to the show.

• The investigation into Beran A is ongoing.

What they said:

• Taylor Swift (following the tour’s conclusion in London): “Having our Vienna shows canceled was devastating. The reason for the cancelations 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. But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives.”