The tribunal of Wiener Neustadt, en Austriasentenced a 21-year-old man to fifteen years in jail on Thursday Could 28, 2026 for his involvement in a number of jihadist assault initiatives, including the one which targeted a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna in the summer of 2024. After a number of hours of deliberations, the jury discovered Beran A. responsible on all counts, together with terrorism-related offenses.
The younger Austrian was arrested in August 2024, the day earlier than the primary of the American star’s three concert events within the Austrian capital, after info transmitted by the American intelligence providers. The reveals, which have been to welcome greater than 170,000 spectators, have been finally canceled as a precautionary measure. In the course of the trial, Beran A. admitted to focusing on the stadium the place the artist was to carry out and acknowledged his membership within the group Islamic State since 2023.
He “needed to lead jihad”
On the listening to, he defined that he had been satisfied that he “needed to lead the jihad », whereas affirming that he “was afraid of dying”. In accordance with the prosecution, he had obtained directions from the jihadist group and tried unsuccessfully to manufacture a bomb fragmentation. Two specialists heard by the court docket additionally indicated that they’d not famous any psychological dysfunction within the accused.
The investigation additionally revealed different assault plans. Beran A. admitted to having gone to Dubai in March 2024 after buying two knives with the intention of attacking law enforcement officials. Nonetheless, he declared that he had given up on the final second, in a “panic”. The prosecution additionally accuses him of getting sought recommendation on the selection of weapons from dialogue teams and from an official of the Islamic State whose propaganda he relayed.
Mecca, Istanbul and Dubai within the viewfinder
Tried alongside Arda Ok., additionally aged 21, Beran A. was suspected of getting skilled with the latter and a 3rd Austrian, Hasan E., at the moment detained in Saudi Arabiaa terrorist cell. In accordance with the indictment, the three males deliberate assaults on members of legislation enforcement in Mecca, Istanbul and Dubai in March 2024. Hasan E. finally attacked a safety guard in Mecca and injured 4 different individuals earlier than being introduced below management.
Prosecuted in Austria for complicity in attempted murder resulting from their exchanges with Hasan E. till the day earlier than the assault, Beran A. and Arda Ok. disputed the existence of a coordinated motion. In the course of the ultimate arguments, Beran A.’s lawyer, Anna Mair, thought-about that her shopper was “neither a pacesetter nor an ideological mastermind” and requested his acquittal on this facet. The prosecution, quite the opposite, maintained its conviction of “intensive contacts” between the suspects and regarded it essential to “clearly ship the message” that the perpetrators of such acts should reply for all of their crimes.
