EU Report Warns of High Terror Threat Across Member States

A leaked EU Council security threat report warns of a high risk of terrorism and violent extremism in member states. The document, obtained by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, points in particular to growing threats linked to Afghanistan, Iran and the consequences of the war in Ukraine.

Islamist and jihadist terrorism remains the biggest threat, according to the report. The assessment is in line with Europol’s analysis, which described the terrorist threat in Europe as acute in March.

European security services warn that the escalation of tensions over Iran has raised concerns about the possible activation of affiliated groups or so-called sleeper cells on European territory.

According to the document, countries with large Jewish and Muslim communities are particularly at risk. The EU also identifies the Afghan branch of Islamic State, known as Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), as one of the main external threats.

The report also highlights a new trend involving the radicalization of minors. Extremist groups are reportedly recruiting children as young as 12 through social networks such as Telegram and TikTok.

The EU is therefore considering putting pressure on technology platforms to restrict algorithms that recommend extremist content to underage users.

(mja)