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Europol Warns of More Fragmented, Harder-to-Detect Terrorism in EU
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Conflict & Security

Europol Warns of More Fragmented, Harder-to-Detect Terrorism in EU

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement New plan
  • Europol warns that the terrorist threat in the EU remains high but has become more fragmented and harder to detect.
  • The agency reported 45 terrorist attacks in 2025, with jihadism accounting for the majority, and noted a rise in arrests for terrorism-related offenses.
  • Factors contributing to the evolving threat include online radicalization, the blurring of extremist ideologies, and the influence of international conflicts.

The European Union faces a persistent and evolving terrorist threat, characterized by increased fragmentation and a growing difficulty in detection, according to Europol's latest annual report.

The terrorist threat in the European Union (UE) remains high, but has evolved in recent years towards more fragmented and difficult-to-detect terrorism.

— EuropolThe agency's assessment of the current terrorist landscape in the EU, as stated in its annual report.

The EU's law enforcement agency documented 45 terrorist attacks in member states during 2025, comprising 22 successful, 20 foiled, and three failed attempts. This marks a decrease in the number of attacks compared to the previous year, but an increase in arrests, with 486 individuals detained for terrorism-related offenses. Jihadism remained the primary driver of terrorist activity, responsible for 24 attacks and 347 arrests, with Spain and France reporting the highest numbers of detentions.

Europol highlights that many attacks and thwarted plots were carried out by individuals acting alone or in small, loosely directed cells, employing simple methods such as stabbings, arson, firearms, or vehicle ramming. The report also points to a concerning trend of blurred lines between different extremist ideologies and the rise of decentralized online communities that glorify violence, particularly attracting young people.

Internet allows terrorist organizations to disseminate propaganda, recruit followers, and coordinate activities quickly and even securely.

— EuropolThe report details the role of the internet in terrorist operations.

Internet platforms play a crucial role in enabling terrorist organizations to disseminate propaganda, recruit followers, and coordinate activities efficiently and securely. Europol warns that extremists are leveraging artificial intelligence to create and manipulate media, enhancing their propaganda and evading detection systems. Furthermore, international conflicts, especially in the Middle East, continue to fuel radicalization across various ideological spectrums and contribute to threats against Jewish and Muslim communities within Europe.

extremists use artificial intelligence to create and modify images, audios and videos, improve their propaganda and try to evade platform detection systems.

— EuropolThe agency highlights the use of AI by extremists.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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