CIA Deputy: Information Provided by the U.S. to Austria Led to Foiling of Attack on Taylor Swift Concert

The Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) stated that the agency and other U.S. intelligence entities played a crucial role in assisting Austria to thwart a plot by ISIS-affiliated individuals to attack a Taylor Swift concert. Austrian officials announced on August 9 that a young man arrested on suspicion of plotting an attack on the American singer's concert in Vienna intended to carry out a suicide bombing; an attack that, if executed, could have killed thousands. Austrian authorities also arrested several others suspected of being linked to the plot. According to NBC News, David Cohen, the CIA Deputy, announced at a national security conference in Rockville, Maryland, that the suspects were 'conspiring to kill a large number of people.' He added, 'The Austrians were able to make these arrests because the CIA and our partners in the U.S. intelligence community provided information about what this ISIS-affiliated group intended to do.' According to Austrian officials, the 19-year-old arrested had sworn allegiance to ISIS. Franz Ruf, head of public security at Austria's Ministry of the Interior, stated at a press conference that the accused fully confessed during detention. Omar Hijawi Pirchner, head of the Austrian Secret Service, also mentioned that the main suspect in the plot 'was clearly aligned with ISIS's objectives and believes that killing infidels is the right thing to do.' Following these developments, 34-year-old Taylor Swift canceled her concerts in Austria. Europe has witnessed sporadic terrorist attacks by Islamist extremists in recent years. A security alert was issued at a NATO base in Germany following reports of a potential terrorist act.