EU Warns of a Chilling New Terror Menace 25 Years After 9/11 as Online Youths Seek Violent Thrills
Officials say 45 attacks were reported across 10 EU countries last year as online networks increasingly drive youth-led violence.
- European Union Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Bartjan Wegter warned of rising youth-driven online extremism ahead of the Sept. 11 anniversary, describing the digital environment as "a petri dish for the connection between different threats."
- Unlike 25 years ago when extremists organized physically, today's terror threat is mostly online, where networks like "The COM" recruit young individuals to commit acts of violence for notoriety.
- Police investigators found about 4,340 URL web addresses linked to "The COM" during a June-July disruption campaign, while Europol reported 486 arrests for terror-related activities across 21 member countries.
- Tracking these networks proves difficult, as young individuals typically lack criminal records and operate behind encrypted walls, Wegter said, making prevention and monitoring efforts challenging.
- AI-Powered bots and apps amplify propaganda and tactical manuals, necessitating new law enforcement tools; Wegter noted 85% of investigations occur digitally, requiring cross-border coordination.
18 Articles
18 Articles
Europe flags online youth-driven violent extremism as new security threat
European authorities have warned that youth-driven online networks are fuelling violent attacks offline. The trend adds to the continuing jihadist threat and makes prevention harder in encrypted digital spaces.
EU warns of chilling new terror menace 25 years after 9/11 as online youths seek violent thrills
BRUSSELS — A quarter of a century after the Al-Qaeda attacks on the United States, jihadist groups still pose a major threat to security in Europe, but a new menace has surfaced that is driven mostly by young people online and the authorities are worried. The exact size of the network behind what is being called nihilistic violent extremism is unclear. But police investigators from nine European countries found about 4,340 URL web addresses link…
Associated Press News
EU warns of a chilling new terror menace 25 years after 9/11 as online youths seek violent thrills
Jihadist groups still pose a major threat to Europe, but 25 years after the 9/11 attacks a new menace driven by young people online is emerging.
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