VIENNA (AP) — A lawyer for the main suspect in an alleged plot to attack now-canceled Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna said Tuesday that authorities’ presentation of the case is exaggerated, and his client wouldn’t have been able to carry out plans that the attorney described as “fantasies.”
The 19-year-old Austrian man, whose name hasn’t been released because of Austrian privacy rules, was arrested last Wednesday — one of three people who were detained. Hours later, organizers canceled the concerts that Swift was scheduled to play Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Austrian capital’s Ernst Happel Stadium. Fans were devastated by the decision.
Austrian officials have said that the suspect wanted to carry out an attack outside the stadium, killing as many people as possible using knives or home-made explosives. They say that, during a raid of the suspect’s home, investigators found chemical substances and technical devices.
Authorities said last week that the man confessed that he had started planning the attack in July. Defense lawyer Werner Tomanek told the Austria Press Agency that he hasn’t yet had access to the case files, but cited a “fragmentary record” of his client’s initial questioning to dispute their account of a full confession.
“He had neither the means nor the possibility and the explosives to carry this out,” Tomanek said. He added that authorities’ allegations against the 19-year-old suspect were “overacting at its best,” and contended that they are “presenting this exaggeratedly” in order to get new surveillance powers.
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A fan of US singer Taylor Swift – a swiftie – presents her beaded bracelets near the Swiftie Tree in Cornelius Strasse street in Vienna, Austria, on August 8, 2024. A 19-year-old Islamic State sympathiser planned a suicide attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna designed to kill many people, the country’s intelligence agency said. Austrian authorities detained two suspects for allegedly plotting to attack this week’s Vienna concerts by the US star, which organisers cancelled at the last minute. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP) (Photo by ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images) -
Beaded bracelets of fans of US singer Taylor Swift – swifties – are fixed at the Swiftie Tree in Cornelius Strasse street in Vienna, Austria, on August 8, 2024. A 19-year-old Islamic State sympathiser planned a suicide attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna designed to kill many people, the country’s intelligence agency said. Austrian authorities detained two suspects for allegedly plotting to attack this week’s Vienna concerts by the US star, which organisers cancelled at the last minute. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP) (Photo by ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images) -
Fans of US singer Taylor Swift – swifties – fix their beaded bracelets at the Swiftie Tree in Cornelius Strasse street in Vienna, Austria, on August 8, 2024. A 19-year-old Islamic State sympathiser planned a suicide attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna designed to kill many people, the country’s intelligence agency said. Austrian authorities detained two suspects for allegedly plotting to attack this week’s Vienna concerts by the US star, which organisers cancelled at the last minute. (Photo by Alex HALADA / AFP) (Photo by ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images) -
VIENNA, AUSTRIA – AUGUST 08: Taylor Swift fans sing together on Stephansplatz on August 08, 2024 in Vienna, Austria. Three nights of Taylor Swift concerts, which were meant to take place here tonight, Friday and Saturday, were cancelled after Austrian law enforcement announced it had foiled a suspected attack on the venue. (Photo by Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images) -
Fans of US mega-star Taylor Swift, so-called “Swifties”, gather in the center in Vienna, Austria, after her three scheduled concerts were cancelled following the arrest of an Islamic State sympathiser in connection with an attack plot. The Vienna leg of a tour by American mega-star Taylor Swift has been cancelled after Austria arrested an Islamic State sympathiser in connection with an attack plot, the organisers said on August 7, 2024. Authorities had earlier confirmed the arrest of a 19-year-old sympathiser of the armed group for allegedly planning an attack in the Vienna region, warning he had a “focus” on Swift’s three upcoming shows. About 65,000 spectators were expected at each show scheduled for August 8, 9 and 10. (Photo by ROLAND SCHLAGER / APA / AFP) / Austria OUT (Photo by ROLAND SCHLAGER/APA/AFP via Getty Images)
Tomanek said that his client appeared to have mental problems and described him as “a lone wolf without social contacts.” He said that “the alleged attack plans were pure fantasies.”
The lawyer said that, in his first questioning by investigators, his client had admitted “in principle to Islamist tendencies” and conceded that he had sought and found “contact with such people online,” APA reported. He added that the young man did make a pledge of loyalty to the Islamic State group and put it online, but said he deleted it shortly after.
Asked why his client did so, Tomanek replied: “Because he found it cool.” He said the man wanted to imitate poses struck by the assailant in a Nov. 2, 2020, attack in Vienna in which four people were killed and the gunman — who had a previous conviction for trying to join IS in Syria — also was killed.
Swift has five concerts at London’s Wembley Stadium scheduled starting on Thursday.
