Terrorism in the EU: trends, terror attacks and arrests in 2023
The number of terrorist attacks in the EU increased in 2023 compared to previous years. Read about key facts and trends presented in the European Parliament.
The EU’s law enforcement agency, Europol, publishes a yearly report that looks at the latest trends, threats and activities related to different types of terrorism. The information comes from EU countries, Europol's partners, and publicly available sources.
The 2024 report was presented to the European Parliament’s home affairs committee in January 2025 by Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, deputy executive director for operations at Europol.
Terrorist attacks and deaths in the EU in 2023
According to the 2024 EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report, 120 terrorist attacks were recorded in the EU in 2023, including 98 completed attacks, 9 failed attempts and 13 foiled plots. This marked a sharp increase from 28 attacks in 2022 and 18 in 2021.
Attacks occurred in seven EU countries:
- France: 80 attacks
- Italy: 30 attacks
- Germany: 3 attacks
- Spain: 3 attacks
- Belgium: 2 attacks
- Greece: 1 attack
- Luxembourg: 1 attack
Most completed attacks (70) were carried out by separatist groups. Jihadist groups completed five attacks, which caused the highest number of casualties with twelve people injured and six killed.
Terrorist arrests in the EU in 2023
There were 426 individuals arrested for terrorist offences across 22 EU countries in 2023 - an increase from 380 in 2022. More than half of these arrests took place in four countries: Spain (84), France (78), Belgium (75), and Germany (51). Those arrested were mainly young, male EU nationals.
The total number of concluded court proceedings in 2023 was 358 - a decrease from 427 in the previous year. The proceedings, which took place across 14 EU countries, resulted in 290 convictions and 68 acquittals.
Terrorism in the EU: key figures
- Jihadist terrorism was the deadliest form, causing 6 deaths and injuring 12 people
- Arrests: 426 people were arrested in 22 EU countries for terrorism-related offenses, with most arrests (334) linked to jihadist terrorism
- Court proceedings: 358 cases concluded in 2023, leading to 290 convictions and 68 acquittals
Recent trends in terrorism in the EU
Young people targeted in recruitment
Vulnerable youngsters are actively targeted for recruitment into terrorism, Lecouffe said at the presentation of the report in Parliament. He suggested that the issue should be tackled not only through law enforcement but also through the general policy towards youth.
In 2023, young people were involved in planning attacks, creating propaganda and inciting violence. Radicalisation often occurs online through virtual communities that reinforce extremist views and target younger audiences with visually appealing content.
Using technology in recruitment
Terrorists are leveraging technology to communicate, recruit and spread propaganda. The Europol report mentions the use of:
- Artificial intelligence (AI): Some groups use AI to create deepfakes and spread misinformation.
- Privacy tools: Encrypted messaging apps, VPNs (apps that allow users to hide their device’s location), and the dark web (a hidden part of the internet not indexed by regular search engines) help terrorists evade detection.
- Immersive technologies: Virtual environments are being used for training, including attack simulations.
- Cryptocurrencies: Cryptocurrency is used to finance terrorism.
In an answer to MEPs’ questions, Europol’s deputy executive director said that the EU regulation, adopted in 2021 to prevent the spread of terrorist content online, is yielding results.
He explained that Europol has developed a tool that facilitates referring terrorist content to online service providers that can then take a decision to remove the flagged content in line with their policies and terms of services. The tool also transmits removal orders from authorities in the member states to the online service providers.
“Since June 2023, we have made 46,400 referrals [of content] and the member states have sent through us 1,406 removal orders that were followed by the online service providers,” Lecouffe said.
The Israel-Gaza conflict
Extremist groups exploited the terrorist attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023 against Israel and the subsequent military response by Israel in Gaza to attract followers and raise funds. The Europol report noted that the conflict has fuelled online hate speech, polarisation and a surge in anti-Semitic and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the EU.
Rise of conspiracy theories and anti-system narratives
Economic, social and political challenges have created fertile ground for the spread of extremist narratives and conspiracy theories, the Europol report said. Social media platforms amplify these narratives, which makes it more likely for their targets to construct their own hybrid ideologies, which are then used to justify and promote violence.
Find out more about fighting terrorism in the EU:
• Terrorism in the EU in 2019
• Terrorism in the EU in 2020
• Europol: better equipped to fight crime and terrorism
