NEWSTaylor Swift Terrorist Plot Was Intended to Kill 'Tens of Thousands' of Concertgoers, CIA Official Reveals
Taylor Swift's Vienna concerts were canceled because of a terrorist plot.
A CIA official has confirmed that the terrorist plot planned for one of Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts was intended to murder an unimaginable amount of innocent people.
David S. Cohen revealed at the Intelligence and National Security Summit that the Austrians had passed along the information they received about the perpetrators’ plans to the CIA.
A CIA official confirmed the terrorists intended to kill a 'huge number' of concertgoers.
"They were plotting to kill a huge number, tens of thousands of people at this concert, I am sure many Americans," he stated. "The Austrians were able to make those arrests because the agency and our partners in the intelligence community provided them information about what this ISIS-connected group was planning to do."
As OK! previously reported, the Grammy winner had to cancel her three August shows in the Vienna due to the threat. Three people have since been arrested in relation to the plot.
A CIA official confirmed the perpetrators were part of an ISIS-connected group.
Though Swift kept quiet for many weeks about the incident, at the end of her European leg of the Eras Tour, she addressed the scary situation on Instagram.
"We have officially wrapped the European leg of The Eras Tour. With it came the most passionate crowds I’ve ever played for, new traditions in the show, and an entirely new era added in," the pop star, 34, began. "It was a more hectic pace than we’d done before, and I’m so proud of my crew/fellow performers for being able to physically perform that show and build our massive stage, take it apart, and make magic with so few days in between for recovery and travel. They’re the most impressive people I know and I’m so lucky they gave The Eras Tour their time, their energy, and their expertise."
Taylor Swift shared a statement regarding the incident after ending the European leg of her tour.
- Who Is Kelly Stafford? Meet the WAG Who Spoke Out About Taylor Swift
- Travis Kelce Gushes Over 'Very Happy' Romance With Taylor Swift as He Urges Listeners to 'Stay Out of Clubs' to Find Their Match
- Taylor Swift Trolled for 'Lying' in Prerecorded MTV EMAs Message as She Skips Show to Attend Boyfriend Travis Kelce's Chiefs Game
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
The "Cruel Summer" singer then explained how "devastating" it was for her to cancel the Vienna shows for such a terrifying reason.
"The cancellations filled me with a new sense of fear, and a tremendous amount of guilt because so many people had planned on coming to those shows. But I was also so grateful to the authorities because thanks to them, we were grieving concerts and not lives. I was heartened by the love and unity I saw in the fans who banded together," she explained.
Swift continued, "I decided that all of my energy had to go toward helping to protect the nearly half a million people I had coming to see the shows in London. My team and I worked hand in hand with stadium staff and British authorities every day in pursuit of that goal, and I want to thank them for everything they did for us. Let me be very clear: I am not going to speak about something publicly if I think doing so might provoke those who would want to harm the fans who come to my shows."
Taylor Swift said the incident 'filled me with a new sense of fear.'
Never miss a story — sign up for the OK! newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what OK! has to offer. It’s gossip too good to wait for!
Powered by RedCircle
The blonde beauty also clarified why she didn't speak out on the incident sooner.
"In cases like this one, ‘silence’ is actually showing restraint, and waiting to express yourself at a time when it’s right to. My priority was finishing our European tour safely, and it is with great relief that I can say we did that. And then London felt like a beautiful dream sequence. All five crowds at Wembley Stadium were bursting with passion, joy, and exuberance. The energy in that stadium was like the most giant bear hug from 92,000 people each night, and it brought me back to a place of carefree calm up there,” she wrote.
Fox News reported on Cohen's remarks.
