April 28 (UPI) -- An Austrian man pleaded guilty Tuesday to planning a terrorist attack in 2024 at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna.
Beran Aliji, 21, is one of two people accused of plotting the foiled attack, which was to take place Aug. 8 during one of the stops on Swift's Eras Tour. Officials canceled that concert and two others by Swift planned for the site at Ernst Happel Stadium. More than 195,000 people were to attend the concerts.
Aliji's trial on charges of joining a terrorist organization (the Islamic State), preparing explosives and attempting to illegally obtain firearms was set to start Tuesday. He and the other man arrested in the planned attack were also accused of planning attacks in Mecca, Istanbul, Turkey, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. They each face up to 20 years in prison. A teenager was also charged for helping to prepare for the planned attacks.
Aliji had an almost-complete bomb at his house, the state prosecutor told the court, the BBC reported. The indictment said that he had obtained instructions on how to make shrapnel bomb via the internet.
USA Today reported that officials said Aliji planned to drive a car into the crowd at the stadium, set off a bomb and attack concertgoers with bladed weapons.
