Gardaí join Europol operation tackling rise in 'child radicalisation' online 

Europol said the action day comes just a few weeks after it set up a new operational taskforce to tackle “the rising trend” of online groups recruiting young perpetrators into serious and organised crime. File picture

Gardaí have taken part in a European police operation targeting the exploitation and radicalization of children online.

The operation was coordinated by Europol, the EU police agency, and involved 11 member states and five other countries not in the EU, including Britain and Ukraine.

The so-called “Referral Action Day” identified more than 2,000 links pointing to “jihadist and right-wing violent extremist and terrorist propaganda” targeting minors.

Europol said the action day comes just a few weeks after it set up a new operational taskforce to tackle “the rising trend” of online groups recruiting young perpetrators into serious and organised crime.

The taskforce has identified trends in online propaganda to attract younger people, typically combining images and videos of children with extremist messaging.

They have also found guidance to parents that have been radicalized in how to raise “future jihadists”.

Europol said: “One of the key observations that led to this coordinated action is the use of AI, particularly in the creation of images, text and videos designed to resonate with younger audiences.

“Propagandists invest in content, short videos, memes, and other visual formats, carefully stylised to appeal to minors and families that may be susceptible to extremist manipulation, as well as content incorporating gaming elements with terrorist audio and visual material.” 

It said that other material include the “glorification” of minors involved in terrorist attacks.

In this regard, terrorist propaganda predominantly targets male minors, manipulating them into joining extremist groups by promoting heroic narratives that portray them as 'warriors' and the 'hope' of society'.

It said female minors are referenced less frequently, with their roles largely confined to raising and indoctrinating future “fighters” for the cause.

Europol said that another manipulation technique that has been “worrying” for the past years is the increased use of victimhood narratives, particularly imagery of wounded or killed children in conflict zones. 

“This manipulation serves a dual purpose: it fosters emotional identification with the victims while simultaneously inciting a desire for retaliation and further violence,” Europol said.

It said that in 2024, law enforcement authorities in EU member states worked on a “large number of terrorism-related cases involving minors”.

It said that Europol’s Counter Terrorism Centre supports member states in preventing and investigating the dissemination of terrorist content online.

Europol executive director Catherine De Bolle, said: “Terrorist groups are increasingly targeting young people, exploiting their vulnerabilities but also their abilities to manage online capabilities to advance violent and extremist agendas."

Strong collaboration between public authorities and private sector partners is essential to prevent the radicalisation of minors into harming themselves and our society.

Ireland isn’t part of the operational taskforce established at the end of April. It is being led by Sweden, which has seen a rise in the use of children to carry out violent acts for gangs for a fee – up to and including murder.

Europol said: “Young people are being deliberately targeted and recruited to commit a wide range of crimes — from drug trafficking and cyber-attacks to online fraud and violent extortion. Recruitment is often highly strategic, exploiting vulnerabilities and glamorising a luxurious, violent lifestyle.

“Social media platforms and messaging apps are used to reach young people through coded language, memes and gamified tasks. In return for money, status or a sense of belonging, they are drawn into criminal schemes that are both violent and transnational.” 

It addition to Sweden, other countries in the taskforce are Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands and non-EU member Norway.

Last February, Europol issued an alert on a related issue, highlighting online groups and so-called online 'grooming cult groups' that are targeting vulnerable young people to join networks that share extremely violent material.