’19-year-old Austrian,’ Beran Aliji, charged with helping plan jihad attack on Taylor Swift concert in Vienna
Jun 29, 2025 9:00 am
By Robert Spencer
5 Comments
Being born in a garage doesn’t make someone an automobile. Aliji himself would likely reject the claim that he is an Austrian, and would insist that he is a citizen of the global umma.
“Germany charges Syrian juvenile who assisted in planned terror attack on Taylor Swift concert,” by Shir Perets, Reuters, June 27, 2025:
German authorities have charged a Syrian juvenile with supporting Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists for helping to plan a foiled attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna in August of last year, the prosecutor-general said in a statement on Friday.
The suspect, listed as Mohammad A., assisted the terrorist, a 19-year-old Austrian named Beran Aliji, who was planning to bomb Swift’s “Era’s Tour” show, by translating Arabic bomb-building instructions and putting him in contact with a member of the ISIS terror group online, according to the charges against him.
“Mohammad A has adhered to the ideology of the terrorist organization ISIS since April 2024 at the latest,” the statement said….
In January, the Washington Post revealed that the would-be bomber had considered the Israeli embassy in the Austrian capital as a possible target for his attack.
The report contains exclusive details taken from Austrian records regarding the case surrounding Aliji, who had sworn allegiance to ISIS just weeks before the attempted attack.
In a text message sent to a stranger he believed to be an ISIS member, Aliji said, “I will try to get a gun and bombs. If that doesn’t work, I will use big knives. Or I will kill a police officer and take his rifle.”
Despite considering the Israeli embassy and a Shi’ite mosque as possible targets, Aliji eventually chose the Taylor Swift concert because one of his friends worked for a company that provided security and logistical support. |
