The lawyer representing the main suspect in the thwarted Taylor Swift concert attack in Vienna has characterized the plot as insignificant, stating it was merely "playing with ideas."
The suspect, a 19-year-old, was arrested after Austrian authorities uncovered plans for an ISIS-inspired suicide attack targeting a soccer stadium where Swift was set to perform, as per Reuters.
The plot led to the cancellation of the singer’s three scheduled shows this week.
Austrian officials revealed that the suspect had recently pledged allegiance to ISIS and confessed to planning the attack after a police raid at his home.
Meanwhile, authorities seized chemicals, machetes, and other materials intended for the bomb.
Lawyer Ina-Christin Stiglitz told Reuters that her client had only been involved with ISIS for the past month, claiming that he was merely interested in the group and had no real intention of carrying out an attack.
She said, "It was just playing with ideas. He says the bomb wasn't of good enough quality, it wouldn't have worked." She added that he had researched bomb-making online.
Three other teenagers have also been detained in connection with the investigation.
Neighbours of the main suspect described him as reserved but friendly, noting that he had recently grown a long beard, which his lawyer attributed to a desire to appear "cool."
