EU counter-terror chief urges social media pressure over youth radicalization

September 5, 2026 at 12:50 PM1 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

EU counter-terrorism coordinator Bartjan Wegter called for increased pressure on social media platforms to curb youth radicalization, citing a rise in minors involved in terrorist attacks. He told the Financial Times that current EU law fails to cover much hateful content that fuels radicalization. Europol recorded 45 terrorist attacks in the EU last year, more than half motivated by religious fanaticism.

Key Facts

EU counter-terrorism coordinator Bartjan Wegter said the number of minors involved in terrorist attacks in the EU has risen significantly.
Wegter told the Financial Times that current EU legislation does not fully address the problem because much hateful content falls outside the direct definition of terrorist content.
Europol recorded 45 terrorist attacks in the EU last year, including foiled plots, with more than half motivated by religious fanaticism.
Wegter described the shift toward small attacks by individuals radicalized online as "terrorism on demand."

Youth Radicalization Threat

EU counter-terrorism coordinator Bartjan Wegter told the Financial Times that the number of minors involved in terrorist attacks in the EU has risen significantly. He said the nature of the threat has changed, with small attacks by individuals radicalized through online content increasingly replacing large-scale operations. Wegter called this phenomenon "terrorism on demand," according to the newspaper.

Legal Gaps and Platform Pressure

Wegter said current EU legislation does not fully address the problem because a significant share of hateful and hostile material falls outside the direct definition of terrorist content. He stressed that a combination of pressure and dialogue is the ideal approach for dealing with platforms. Wegter stated that "the impunity of social networks has come to an end."

Europol Attack Data

Europol recorded 45 terrorist attacks in the EU last year, including foiled plots. More than half of those attacks were motivated by religious fanaticism, the Financial Times reported.