EU warns of chilling new terror menace 25 years after 9/11 as online youths seek violent thrills

Brussels — Two and a half decades since the Al-Qaeda assaults on the United States, terrorist organizations continue to pose a significant threat to European security. However, a fresh danger has emerged, primarily fueled by young individuals on the internet, prompting authorities to express their concerns. The precise magnitude of the network responsible for what is being labeled as nihilistic violent extremism remains uncertain.

Nevertheless, police investigators from nine European countries discovered around 4,340 web addresses connected to "The COM," the moniker given to this online community, during an operation to dismantle it in June and July. Bartjan Wegter, the European Union Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, disclosed to The Associated Press that the threat is rooted in violence for its own sake.

The year prior, 45 terrorist incidents were recorded across 10 of the 27 EU nations, though none were large-scale, high-casualty events. Half of these attacks were either disrupted or unsuccessful, resulting in the deaths of six individuals. In total, 486 people suspected of terrorist ties were apprehended in 21 EU member states.