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New menace driven by young people online alarms EU security officials
AP News • • world
Key Points:
- Jihadist groups continue to pose a significant security threat in Europe, but a new form of nihilistic violent extremism, driven primarily by young people online, has emerged and concerns authorities.
- European police found over 4,300 web addresses linked to "The COM," an online community promoting violence for its own sake, highlighting a rise in attacks motivated by a desire for notoriety rather than ideology.
- In 2023, there were 45 terrorist attacks across 10 EU countries, with jihadist groups responsible for over half and more than 70% of arrests; notably, about one-third of those arrested were under 18 years old.
- The online nature of these extremist networks, often involving encrypted communications and young individuals without criminal records, makes prevention and tracking of attacks challenging.
- Authorities warn that AI technology is being exploited to amplify violent propaganda, aid recruitment, and facilitate attack planning, prompting calls for enhanced law enforcement tools to address digital threats while balancing privacy concerns.
