EU warns of a chilling new terror menace 25 years after 9/11 as online youths seek violent thrills
Summary
EU authorities warn that a new wave of nihilistic violent extremism is spreading online among young people, with networks like The COM and 764 linked to violent attacks, propaganda and recruitment. Officials say AI, encrypted platforms and social media are making it harder to detect and prevent these crimes.
Key Points
- EU counter-terrorism officials say jihadist threats remain serious, but nihilistic violent extremism driven by online youth is an emerging menace.
- Police investigators from nine European countries identified about 4,340 web addresses linked to The COM during disruption campaigns in June and July.
- Authorities say online communities are inspiring real-world violence, including stabbings, murder plots and abuse cases involving teenagers in Europe.
- Europol warns that AI tools, deepfakes and encrypted networks are amplifying extremist propaganda, recruitment and attack planning.
