When the Music Stopped: Foiled Taylor Swift Plot Shows Need for Investigative Analytics
Shake it off? Not this time.
The music of pop superstar Taylor Swift has long been a rallying cry for fans facing adversity. But a thwarted terrorist plot targeting the singer’s summer concerts in Vienna proved that security threats can’t be overcome with pop anthems alone.
In early August, Austrian authorities announced they had prevented an ISIS-inspired attack aimed at Swift’s mega-popular Eras Tour, the highest grossing concert tour of all time.
The gravity of the threat forced concert organizers to cancel all three nights of the superstar’s shows in Austria, leaving fans stunned and the industry reeling.
This event served as a chilling reminder that even pop culture’s biggest icons aren’t immune to large-scale security incidents. In this case, each show was expected to draw some 65,000 attendees a night and another 30,000 tailgating outside the venue.
‘Swift’ action by authorities led to the arrest of three suspects: two Austrian citizens and one Iraqi national. US intelligence had uncovered that one of the suspects uploaded an “oath of allegiance” to the Islamic State on the messaging app Telegram in early July, while participating in ISIS-K Telegram groups. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed that US intelligence passed the information to Europol and the Austrian police.
Austria’s top public security chief, Franz Ruf, said that authorities were made aware of preparations for such an attack and that the suspects’ focus had been the upcoming concert.
A history of terrorism at concerts
The threat of terrorism at concerts is not a new phenomenon. Between 1996 and 2020:
- 33 terror attacks targeting concerts were either attempted or executed worldwide
- These incidents resulted in 263 lives lost 1
Terrorists typically choose to attack concerts because they are considered soft targets with large numbers of people concentrated in close quarters.
While casualties and injuries were thankfully averted at Taylor Swift’s concert, many attacks in the past inflicted great damage. Examples include:
- Paris, Bataclan Theatre (2015): 90 deaths in an attack by the Islamic State.
- Germany, Ansbach Music Festival (2016): 15 injured, 4 seriously in a bombing by a Syrian asylum seeker who had pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State. 2
- Manchester, Ariana Grande Concert (2017): 22 killed and over 500 injured in a suicide bombing by a representative of ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).
- Israel, Nova Music Festival (2024): At least 364 killed and 40 taken hostage when Hamas terrorists crossed the border from Gaza and stormed an open-air music festival
In another devastating attack, ISIS-K terrorists claimed at least 140 lives at a Moscow concert hall in March. The group, an offshoot of ISIS based in Afghanistan, takes its name from the historical Khorasan region spanning parts of Central and South Asia.
Vladimir Vorokov, the UN undersecretary for counterterrorism, stated recently to the UN Security Council that ISIS-K “is considered the greatest external terrorist threat” to Europe, citing the organization’s increased recruitment efforts and array of financial and logistical nodes.
Global scope of terror threats
While the thwarted attack at Taylor Swift’s concert highlights the ongoing threat of terrorism in Europe, it is important to recognize that this issue is a global one. Earlier this year, in January 2024, the city of Kerman, Iran was rocked by a brutal attack when two bombs exploded during a commemoration ceremony for Qassem Soleimani. This attack, claimed by ISIS, resulted in at least 84 deaths and injured over 200 individuals.
While the latest terror attacks in Vienna and Iran demonstrate that the Islamic State remains a robust threat, with the organization capable of carrying out, or at least inspiring, attacks around the world, there are many terrorist groups that also pose credible threats. Also, the risks of domestic terrorism and “lone wolf” attacks are ever present.
In addition, increasing ties between organized crime networks and terrorist elements add a worrying element for authorities, as terror groups increasingly look to use local crime gangs to help execute their plans. In a recent case spanning Denmark and the Netherlands, authorities arrested four suspects with ties to local criminal gangs on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks.
Given this complex threat landscape, constant vigilance is needed from security organizations.
Preventing terrorist attacks with investigative analytics
While an attack at Swift’s concert was prevented, it still serves as a reminder to law enforcement agencies and intelligence organizations worldwide, emphasizing the need for advanced technology to ensure security.
Given the threat landscape, having the latest technology is not a luxury for intelligence organizations and law enforcement organizations – it’s an absolute necessity.
Investigative analytics has emerged as a key tool for security organizations tasked with safeguarding large-scale events. These sophisticated solutions assist authorities in both investigating incidents after they occur and tracking down the perpetrators, but also ideally by identifying and neutralizing potential threats before they happen.
By harnessing investigative analytics solutions, law enforcement and intelligence organizations can enhance their ability to detect suspicious activities, uncover leads and investigate suspects, thereby ensuring the safety and security of mass gatherings and large events in an increasingly complex security environment.
Investigative analytics solutions leverage AI and advanced technologies to enable organizations to gather, visualize and analyze massive volumes of diverse data sources, gain a holistic intelligence picture, and generate actionable insights. Here are key areas where these solutions make a significant impact for government organizations:
Analyzing extremist content and disinformation
- Uncovering extremists and bad actors involved in the spread of disinformation and extremist materials across various online platforms, including social media and messaging apps.
Generating detailed suspect profiles and uncovering connections
- Revealing connections between known bad actors and potential new suspects, and mapping terrorist networks.
- Generating detailed profiles of suspects and mapping their real-world activities and digital footprints.
2020 Vienna Terror Attack
In November 2020, a heavily armed assailant unleashed a terror attack in Vienna’s bustling Bermuda Triangle nightlife area, killing four and wounding 23 others. The attack, which spanned six locations, was later claimed by the Islamic State and the shooter was identified as a previously jailed Islamist terrorist.
In the aftermath of the attack, it was discovered that the Austrian police had received information from their Slovakian counterparts that the attacker, Kujtim Fejzulai, had attempted to purchase AK-47 ammunition.
In addition, the car he traveled in was registered under the name of a known Islamist extremist’s mother. These two pieces of information, along with Fejzulai’s previous arrest for affiliating with a terror organization after he attempted to cross into Syria from Turkey, should have been connected and a red flag raised prior to the attack, however it seems this did not happen.
This previous attack highlights the critical importance of having the right technology solutions to obtain a holistic intelligence picture, uncover hidden connections and generate predictive insights and risk scores – and what happens if those capabilities are not in place.
Security beyond the venue
Ensuring concert safety extends far beyond venue security. By leveraging cutting-edge investigative analytics, national security and law enforcement agencies can more effectively anticipate and prevent threats, allowing fans to focus on what truly matters – the music.
Learn how Cognyte’s investigative analytics solutions can safeguard the next big event.