On 24 June 2025, Europol published its EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2025 (EU TE-SAT). The report provides a comprehensive situational overview of terrorism across EU Member States in 2024: jihadist, right-wing/left-wing, and anarchist terrorism; ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorism; and other forms of terrorism and violent extremism. It also provides an outlook on potential developments. For the editions of previous years →eucrim 4/2024, 286 and →eucrim 2/2023, 146 each with further references.

In 2024, the terrorism threat in the EU was once again shaped by developments beyond EU borders: the conflict in Gaza, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, and the collapse of the regime in Syria. In addition, the involvement of minors and young people in terrorism and violent extremism represents a worrying development that continued to grow in 2024. Adding to these challenges is the growing intertwining of individuals’ digital and physical lives — a phenomenon often referred to as "on-life' reality". Another key concern is the ongoing exploitation of artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies, which are enabling new possibilities in areas such as recruitment, propaganda, methods of operation, and financing tools.

Examining the figures:

• A total of 58 terrorist attacks were recorded in 14 EU Member States in 2024. Of these, 34 had been completed, five failed, and 19 were foiled, marking a decrease compared to previous years.
• Most of the attacks took place in Italy (20) and France (14), followed by Germany (6), Austria (3), Greece (3), Czechia (2), Denmark (2), Lithuania (2), Belgium (1), Ireland (1), Malta (1), the Netherlands (1), Slovakia (1), and Spain (1).
• 24 terrorist attacks were attributed to jihadist terrorism, marking a significant increase from 14 attacks reported in 2023. Most of the jihadist terrorist attacks were perpetrated by lone actors (20 out of 24).
• There were five deaths and 18 injuries as a result of six completed jihadist attacks and two injuries were attributed to other forms of terrorism.
• 21 attacks were attributed to left-wing and anarchist terrorism, with the majority (18) occuring in Italy, followed by Greece.
• One completed right-wing attack was reported by Italy.
• Four ethno-nationalist and separatist attacks, all completed, took place in France (3) and in Italy (1).
• Next to civilians, the industrial sector was the second most frequent target, with nine attacks carried out by left-wing and anarchist terrorists. Other common targets were private businesses, religious entities/symbols, critical infrastructure, political entities, and law enforcement.
• The majority of attacks took place in an urban location (45); others were perpetrated in rural areas (13).
• Arson was the most common modus operandi (used in 22 attacks), followed by bombing, stabbing, shooting, damage to property, and one case of kidnapping.
• Fire accelerants were used in the majority of attacks (15), most frequently by left-wing and anarchist terrorists (11). Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were used in 10 attacks, while bladed weapons were used in 10 jihadist attacks. Improvised incendiary devices (IIDs) were recorded in 6 cases.
• A total of 449 individuals were arrested for terrorism-related offences across 20 Member States, which is an increase compared to 2023 (426). The majority of arrests were carried out in Spain (90), France (69), Italy (62), and Germany (55).
• Of those arrested, 405 were male and 43 were female.
• Sixteen EU Member States informed Eurojust of court proceedings (485) for terrorist offences in 2024. Of these, 426 resulted in convictions and 59 in acquittals.

Two major threats were the focus of the report: (1) the growing threat of online communities inciting violence and (2) the exploitation of a variety of technologies by terrorists and violent extremists.

According to the report, the number of minors and young people involved in terrorist and violent extremist activities continued to increase across the EU in 2024, as terrorist organisations targeted young people and spread propaganda on popular social media platforms. Young people's radicalisation is heavily influenced by a combination of psychological vulnerabilities, social isolation, and digital dependency. Algorithm-driven content reinforces radical ideas, leading to a dangerous normalization and desensitization to harm. The young perpetrators were predominantly male and had most often undergone a process of self-radicalisation online. They were not affiliated with any centralised organisation and often acted alone or within small groups of peers. A growing variety of online communities recruits minors and young adults and then induces them to perform extreme violent acts against themselves and others. Additionally, the growing threat posed by various online cult communities that use digital platforms to normalise extreme cruelty, extort victims, and radicalise young people into carrying out violent acts is a cause for concern.

The report notes that, in 2024, terrorists and violent extremists continued to exploit a variety of technologies, demonstrating different levels of technological skill:

• End-to-end encrypted (E2EE) communication platforms continued to provide secure channels;
• Social media offered far-reaching platforms and large audiences;
• Immersive environments, such as gaming platforms and the metaverse, remained subject to exploitation;
• Generative AI was used to create and disseminate propaganda and hate speech;
• AI tools were employed for various purposes, including large language models (LLMs) and deepfake technology, to create persuasive and deceptive content;
• Cryptocurrencies and non-fungible digital assets (NFTs) enabled anonymous financing and the transfer of funds;
• 3D printing technology facilitated the clandestine manufacturing of firearms;
• Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs/drones) raise further concerns.