Europol warns that terrorism in the EU involves more and more minors, even though the number of attacks has decreased in 2025.

EU member states reported 45 completed, attempted, or thwarted terrorist attacks in 2025, down from 58 in the previous year, but the number of arrested suspects rose to 486. Among those for whom age was reported, 130 were 18 years old or younger, with the youngest being 12 years old. Jihadist terrorism accounted for five of the six deaths and represented 24 attacks and 347 arrests.

The European Union recorded fewer terrorist attacks in 2025, but more arrests, with over a quarter of the suspects for whom age was reported being 18 years old or younger. Europol's annual report describes a threat dominated by individual attackers, simple methods, and rapid online radicalization, where jihadist propaganda, violent far-right extremism, and digital communities that glorify violence sometimes combine into unstable ideologies.

In summary

1. Ten member states reported 45 completed, attempted, or thwarted terrorist attacks in 2025. Of these, 22 were completed, 20 thwarted, and three failed. The completed attacks resulted in six deaths.

2. Authorities arrested 486 suspects in 21 member states, compared to 449 in 2024 and 426 in 2023. Jihadist terrorism accounted for 347 arrests, far-right extremism 43, separatism and ethno-nationalism 34, and far-left extremism and anarchism 13.

3. 130 of the arrested individuals for whom age was indicated were 18 years old or younger. The youngest was 12 years old and was associated with a far-right terrorism case. In jihadist files, 108 of the 347 suspects were 18 years old or younger.

4. Jihadist attacks were the most numerous and the deadliest: 24 incidents, of which nine were completed, five deaths, and 81 injured. Eight of the nine completed attacks were carried out with knives, and one by driving a vehicle into a crowd.

5. Romania did not report any terrorist attacks in 2025. Three arrests related to jihadist terrorism and one conviction in a terrorism case were reported.

The EU TE-SAT 2026 report consolidates data submitted by member states regarding attacks, arrests, convictions, and sentences for terrorism offenses in 2025. The figures are based on the legal classification used by each state, and Europol specifies that they do not include the larger number of ongoing investigations.

The 45 reported attacks in 2025 represent a decrease from the 58 recorded in 2024. The number of completed attacks fell from 34 to 22, but the death toll rose from five to six.

France reported the most attacks, 14, followed by Italy with 11, Austria with seven, and Germany with four. Belgium, Greece, and Ireland reported two each, while Malta, the Netherlands, and Spain reported one each.

The attacks include both completed acts and plans that failed during execution or were thwarted by authorities. Of the 45 cases, 20 were stopped before execution, which explains the difference between the total number of incidents and the number of attacks that actually resulted in victims or damage.

Jihadist terrorism accounted for 24 of the 45 attacks. Nine were completed in Germany, France, Austria, Ireland, and Spain, while 15 were thwarted in France, Austria, and Belgium. The nine completed attacks resulted in five deaths and 81 injuries.

Germany recorded four completed jihadist attacks. In one of the cases presented by Europol, a 24-year-old man drove a vehicle into a moving crowd in Munich in February 2025, killing two people and injuring 57.

The methods used were primarily simple and easily accessible. Of the nine completed jihadist attacks, eight were committed with knives, and one with a car. The victims were mainly randomly chosen individuals in public spaces.

In the total of 45 attacks, stabbing was the most common method, with 15 cases. This was followed by explosive devices, in 11 cases, arson, in seven, firearm attacks, in five, property destruction, in two, and vehicle attacks, in one case.

Of the 22 completed attacks, 12 were committed by individuals acting alone. Nine of these attackers used bladed weapons, one a firearm, one a vehicle, and one an improvised incendiary device.

Europol shows that individual attackers are not always completely isolated. Many consume propaganda, communicate in online groups, interact with radicalized individuals, or receive encouragement and instructions without formally being part of an organization.

In several jihadist cases, attackers declared their loyalty to the Islamic State group. However, the report specifies that, most of the time, there was no evidence that the organization coordinated or ordered the attacks.

The total number of arrests has increased for the second consecutive year. The 486 individuals detained in 2025 compare to 449 in 2024 and 426 in 2023. Spain reported the most arrests, 117, followed by France with 84, the Netherlands with 63, Italy with 48, Belgium with 44, and Austria with 40.

In jihadist files, 347 individuals were arrested in 16 states. The most cases were in Spain, 100, and France, 64. Austria and the Netherlands reported 40 each, Belgium 30, Italy 26, and Germany 21.

The most common suspicions in jihadist cases were terrorist propaganda, in 91 arrests, membership in an organization, in 73, and preparation for an attack, in 53. Other cases involved participation in the activities of an organization, threats, travel for terrorist purposes, financing, recruitment, and training.

Young people occupy a central place in Europol's assessment. The average age of arrested individuals was 27 years. Among the suspects for whom states reported age, 130 were 18 years old or younger.

In jihadist files, 108 suspects were 18 years old or younger. Europol describes cases where teenagers searched online for information about the Islamic State, weapons, and bomb-making, distributed propaganda, or communicated with individuals sharing the same ideas.

The report provides the example of a 17-year-old adolescent arrested in Italy in October 2025. Analysis of his devices identified searches about the Islamic State, jihad, weapons, and bomb-making, as well as a loyalty oath sent to another radicalized individual.

The far-right was associated with five attacks, compared to one in 2024. One attack was completed in France and resulted in one death, while four were thwarted in France and Ireland.

For far-right terrorism offenses, 43 suspects were arrested in nine states. The most cases were in Germany and the Netherlands, with eight each, followed by Belgium and France, with five each.

All individuals involved in attack plans or arrested in far-right cases were men. Many were young and presented mental health issues or other psychosocial vulnerabilities, according to information provided to Europol.

The report describes a combination of neo-Nazism, white supremacy, anti-Semitism, and hostility towards migrants, sometimes overlapping with nihilism, conspiracy theories, misogyny, and fascination with violence. In some cases, suspects simultaneously consumed both jihadist and far-right propaganda.

A 15-year-old adolescent arrested in Italy was suspected of terrorist conspiracy, making and using explosive devices, illegal possession of weapons, and distributing materials involving sexual abuse of children. Investigators also found Islamic State propaganda, images of attacks, and instructions for making explosives.

Europol also highlights the development of online communities where ideology is less clear, and violence becomes the main objective. The decentralized network called "The Com" includes spaces dedicated to cyber attacks, sexual extortion, and physical violence.

In some of these groups, victims, especially underage girls, are coerced into sending sexual images or are harmed. The materials are then used for further threats, and victims are pushed towards increasingly violent or humiliating acts. Other groups promote arson, stabbings, or murder.

Europol warns that the boundary between terrorism, violent extremism, and other forms of crime is becoming harder to establish. Some actors combine contradictory beliefs, while others seek status, recognition, or violence without a stable political doctrine.

Digital platforms remain the main space for propaganda, recruitment, and coordination. Extremist content appears on both large platforms and small forums, and algorithms can increase the visibility of distributed materials.

Propaganda aimed at young people uses short videos, memes, GIFs, music, images from games, and user-generated content. Less explicit content can serve as an entry point, after which interested individuals are moved to private groups and encrypted services.

In 2025, the authorities of member states and Europol assessed 81,862 online materials related to terrorism. Following checks, they sent 61,412 notices to 99 hosting service providers.

Artificial intelligence was used for generating and modifying images, audio materials, and videos, including deepfakes, memes, and propaganda. Some individuals used techniques to evade filters integrated into AI systems.

Bots and chatbots were used for distributing propaganda, recruitment, and increasing interaction with extremist materials. Europol also mentions the use of AI applications for preliminary research related to attack preparations.

The report does not indicate an abandonment of traditional methods. Physical meetings, training clubs, concerts, private religious spaces, and personal contacts continue to contribute to radicalization, recruitment, and planning.

International conflicts have fueled the propaganda of several currents. The war in Gaza has been exploited by jihadist groups, far-right groups, and far-left groups, sometimes to promote anti-Semitism and attacks against Jewish or Israeli targets.

Europol warns that pressure on Iran and its network of allied groups may increase the risk of actions against Jewish, Israeli, or other targets in the EU. The report describes arrests and the discovery of weapons associated with individuals suspected of links to Hamas.

The war in Ukraine remains present in extremist propaganda, although less so than in previous years. Authorities continue to monitor risks related to acquiring military experience, arms trafficking, and the return of radicalized individuals from conflict zones.

Far-left and anarchist terrorism accounted for 12 attacks, down from 21 in 2024. Eleven were completed, ten in Italy and one in Greece, while one failed. No victims were reported, as the targets were mainly buildings and vehicles.

No confirmed separatist-ethno-nationalist terrorist attacks were reported in 2025, but there were 34 arrests. The Kurdistan Workers' Party remained the main actor pursued, along with dissident Irish republican groups and Corsican and Basque separatist circles.

In total, 21 states reported 505 rulings in terrorism cases: 406 convictions and 99 acquittals. The conviction rate was 88% in jihadist and far-right cases, 76% in separatist-ethno-nationalist cases, and 41% in far-left and anarchist cases.

The average prison sentence was six years. Two-thirds of convictions were for five years or less, and 17% were for at least ten years. Sentences ranged from two months to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Romania reported three arrests for offenses associated with jihadist terrorism, an increase from one in 2024 and two in 2023. Eurojust data show one ruling concluded in Romania in 2025, resulting in a conviction in a jihadist case. No terrorist attacks were reported on Romanian territory.

For the upcoming period, Europol estimates that attacks with reduced preparation, carried out with simple methods against civilians or in public spaces, will remain the most persistent threat. More complex attacks are not excluded, especially against the backdrop of the return of fighters, the release from prison of convicted individuals, and easier access to technology and operational instructions.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/news/europol-130-de-suspecti-de-terorism-arestati-in-ue-aveau-cel-mult-18-ani