Europol TE-SAT 2023 - a summary of terrorist and extremist threats in 2022
Terrorism continues to be one of the main threats to the security of European Union member states. Despite a decrease in the total number of terrorist attacks in 2022, one can still observe the number of arrests of terror suspects and court sentences handed down remaining high. The most significant threat, as in 2020, was far-left and anarchist terrorism, but it was Islamic terrorism suspects who were detained by far the most in 2022.
In October 2023. Europol issued its annual report on the situation and trends in terrorism in the European Union TE-SAT 2023. In 2022, 16 terrorist attacks took place on the territory of European Union member states, 12 more were thwarted by the services or the perpetrators failed to carry them out. Of the 16 terrorist attacks, as many as 13 had far-left and anarchist backgrounds (81%), two Islamist (12.5%) and one far-right (6.25%). A total of 4 fatalities were reported. Law enforcement agencies of EU member states detained a total of 380 suspected terrorists, including 266 jihadists (70%), 45 motivated by far-right ideology (11.8%) and 19 driven by leftist or anarchist motives (5%). Court proceedings resulted in 427 verdicts - both convictions and, relatively rare, acquittals.
The majority of terrorist attacks have used relatively simple tools that do not require complex logistical and organisational undertakings or advanced knowledge (firearms, bladed weapons, strangulation, improvised explosive devices or incendiary devices/fire accelerators). It is noteworthy that several terrorist attacks carried out with leftist and anarchist motives were aimed at destroying property (including critical infrastructure) rather than causing human casualties, at least as a priority objective.
Among the trends observed in the context of terrorist threats, the most noteworthy are:
- blurring differences between the different types of terrorism in terms of tactics used, modus operandi, communication techniques and content dissemination;
- Internet and technology as key factors facilitating the spread of ideology and propaganda,
- as well as fostering radicalisation and recruitment to terrorism and violent extremism;
- the increasing role of right-wing and left-wing terrorism/extremism in the global spectrum of terrorist threats to EU Member States;
- the increasing threat from violent extremism and radicalisation caused by climate change, the need to protect the environment and natural resources (eco-terrorism);
- the increase in the importance of individual actors related to the ease of online communication, exchange of ideas, radical content, acquisition of knowledge - the independence and decentralisation of radicalisation processes not requiring affiliation to a specific terrorist organisation;
- the Russian-Ukrainian war as an element of further polarisation of societies, building a narrative based on disinformation and propaganda aimed at winning activists, supporters of extremist and terrorist activities.
The trends described above - especially in the area of the use of state-of-the-art technologies by terrorists - entail the need to further strengthen cooperation between the services of EU Member States and to continuously expand the range of methods and means of identifying, preventing and combating terrorist threats.
More Information : https://tpcoe.gov.pl/cpt/materialy/2431,TE-SAT-2023.html