European terrorism saw increased incidents and arrests, with jihadist threats rising; EU strengthens counter-terrorism efforts.
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In 2024, fourteen EU member states reported approximately 58 terrorist attacks, with Italy (20) and France (14) seeing the most incidents. Nearly half of these attacks are linked to jihadist terrorism, which caused the most casualties—five deaths and eighteen injuries. Most attacks targeted civilians or industrial sites in cities. In 2024, 449 individuals were arrested across twenty EU countries on terrorism charges, an increase from previous years, with Spain, France, Italy, and Germany leading arrests. Europol reports a rising number of young people joining extremist groups; nearly a third of those arrested for terrorism were aged 12–20, often radicalizing independently online, frequently linked to jihadism or right-wing extremism. A recent foiled attack in Viterbo, Italy, involved the arrest of two Turkish nationals who possessed weapons near a religious procession, prompting praise from Italian officials for the security forces’ intervention. Regarding Lithuania, the State Security Department monitors foreign individuals from countries with terrorist organizations but states that the threat of terrorism is low, though the risk from radicalized women remains relevant. The EU is strengthening counter-terrorism efforts through cooperation, restricting weapons and financing, and implementing measures to remove extremist content online within an hour. Since 2004, the EU has coordinated its anti-terrorism strategy, with Europol and Eurojust aiding investigations, while preventative measures focus on monitoring online propaganda and sharing data across member states and internationally. Despite recent decreases in attacks, jihadist terrorism and rising far-right activity remain the primary threats that the EU aims to address proactively.
