Terrorists are getting younger, with almost one in three suspects under 20 years old last year, and the youngest being just 12, a report by Europol released on Tuesday showed.

“Online cult communities” use digital platforms to spread and normalize images of extreme cruelty, extort victims and incite young people to commit acts of violence, the European police organization said on presenting a report on trends in terrorism in The Hague.

Many of these violent groups have links to jihadist terrorism and right-wing extremist groups, Europol said.

Children targeted:

These groups focus on particularly vulnerable young people, typically between 8 and 17 years old, Europol said.

“Terrorist groups target vulnerable individuals, especially those struggling with mental health issues, social isolation or digital dependency,” said Europol chief Catherine De Bolle.

EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs Magnus Brunner called for vigilance: “We must be particularly vigilant about the radicalization of young people and the exploitation of online platforms by terrorists and extremists.”

AI used to generate hate:

Geopolitical tensions are also said to contribute to radicalization, according to Europol. In this context, Europol mentions the Gaza conflict, the Russian war in Ukraine and the unstable situation in Syria.

Another worrying development is the use of new technologies in the radicalization and recruitment of potential perpetrators, Europol said.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has reportedly been used to an unprecedented extent to produce and spread propaganda and hate.

In 2024, a total of 58 terrorist attacks were reported by 14 EU member states, according to Europol: 34 of them were carried out, while the others failed or were thwarted. A total of 449 suspects were reportedly arrested.

Europol says terrorists getting younger, with one in three under 20