Book Offer
This will close in 10 seconds
Jihadist terrorist attacks remained the deadliest terror threat in the European Union in 2025 by a significant margin, according to new data.
In its annual Terrorism Situation and Trend report published this week, Europol also revealed that Leftwing terror incidents were far more common across the bloc than Rightwing ones.
The report highlighted that Islamist extremists accounted for the vast majority of violence and arrests over the course of the year.
“Jihadist terrorism accounted for the largest share of attacks in 2025 (24), representing about half of all incidents,” Europol stated.
“Jihadist attacks were the deadliest form of terrorism in 2025, causing five fatalities and injuring 81 people.”
Across the EU, law enforcement agencies recorded 45 total terrorist attacks reported by 10 Member States, leading to 486 suspects arrested across 21 Member States. Jihadism accounted for 24 of the reported attacks and 347 of the reported arrests in 16 Member States.
Europol detailed that Leftwing and anarchist terror attacks significantly outnumbered those attributed to Rightwing actors.
“Left-wing and anarchist terrorism accounted for 12 attacks,” the report said.
“11 completed attacks were carried out in Italy (10) and Greece (1).”
The policing agency noted that no directly harmed victims were reported in these Leftwing incidents, as targets were primarily buildings or vehicles. However, private businesses linked to the industrial, financial, tourism, and wellness sectors were exclusively targeted by Leftwing and anarchist assailants, who frequently cited the companies’ relations with Israel as the motivating factor.
By contrast, Rightwing terrorism accounted for five reported attacks across the EU, four of which were foiled by security services.
“Five attacks were labelled right-wing terrorism,” Europol stated.
“One of these five attacks was completed, in France. Four attacks were foiled… The one completed attack classified as terrorism resulted in one fatality.”
There were 43 arrests attributed to Rightwing terrorism in nine Member States, compared to 13 arrests in six Member States for Leftwing and anarchist offences.
In court proceedings concluded in 2025, cases concerning Jihadist terrorism and Right-wing terrorism both resulted in conviction rates of 88% of all defendants. Proceedings related to Left-wing terrorism concluded with a conviction rate of 41%.
Europol also drew attention to emerging security challenges, noting a rise in non-ideological, chaotic violence across digital platforms.
“Nihilistic violent extremism was another increasingly visible development,” Europol reported.
“Perpetrators often emerged from decentralised digital communities that glorify online and offline violent activities, but lack clear and coherent ideological objectives.”
The report added that some individuals within this ecosystem deliberately sought to promote chaos and accelerate the collapse of the existing social order. The average age of individuals arrested in 2025 was 27 years old, with 130 reported individuals being 18 or younger. The youngest person arrested was 12 years old and linked to Rightwing terrorism, while the oldest was 79 years old and linked to Leftwing terrorism.
Climate issues and Middle Eastern geopolitics also featured heavily in extremist propaganda over the reporting period.
“The narratives by left-wing and anarchist terrorist actors remained largely consistent, frequently incorporating references to the conflict in Gaza,” Europol stated.
“Anti-Semitism, anti-Israeli or anti-Zionist sentiments were explicitly expressed in seven out of 10 responsibility claims reported.”
In one instance in Italy on January 18th 2025, an improvised explosive device caused material damage to a travel agency. The attack was claimed via a parcel containing a bullet and a note warning that transporting goods and weapons to Israel was “extremely dangerous.”
In Ireland, authorities recorded 11 total terrorism-related arrests in 2025, comprising four Jihadist suspects, three Right-wing suspects, and four “Ethno-Nationalist and separatist” suspects, i.e. Dissident Republicans.
Notably, previous Europol reports have noted that Dissident Republicans are overwhelmingly “Socialists” who are associated with “Marxists”.
Europol highlighted that dissident republican groups remained active actors in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
“Dissident republican groups remained relevant primarily in Ireland and Northern Ireland,” the report stated.
“The principal actors continued to be the New Irish Republican Army (IRA), Continuity IRA and other splinter republican structures that reject the peace settlement and retain an anti-state and anti-security force orientation.”
The report indicated that these clandestine organisations remain small and criminally embedded, regularly participating in extortion, smuggling, drug dealing, protection activity, and debt collection.
On March 10th 2025, two males were arrested in Ireland for membership of an unlawful organisation suspected of involvement in IRA operational activity, with law enforcement recovering evidence suggesting an attempt to conceal unidentified items in a forested area.
This will close in 10 seconds