Europol report warns of 'new phase' of terrorism hitting EU

Europol also says that Ireland is one of only two member states where right-wing terrorist attacks were stopped last year. File picture: Thomas Fuller/SOPA/LightRocket/Getty

Ireland is one of five EU countries that experienced a completed Islamist terror attack in 2025, according to the EU police agency.

Europol also says that Ireland is one of only two member states where right-wing terrorist attacks were stopped last year.

The EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report 2026 states that while jihadi, or Islamist, ideology was the “most prevalent” type of terrorism in the EU, there was a noticeable increase in attackers combining extreme ideologies with criminality, conspiracy theories and “nihilistic” violence.

This type of violence is loosely defined as a love of violence itself or a desire to cause chaos or the collapse of society.

The jihadist attack in Ireland refers to the stabbing of a uniform garda and an arson attack on a Conor McGregor pub in Dublin in July 2025.

The Special Criminal Court has heard that the attacker, Abdullah Khan, was a follower online of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, founder of Islamic State.

The Europol report says that the foiled right-wing terrorist attack in Ireland was the planned bombing last November of a mosque by the so-called Irish Defence Army.

The report says that France is the only member state, apart than Ireland, that experienced a foiled right-wing terror attack in 2025.

In addition to Ireland, the report says that four other EU countries experienced completed jihadist terror attacks last year: Germany (four attacks); France (2), Austria (1) and Spain (1).

Key findings in the Europol report include:

• 45 terrorist attacks across 10 EU states, including 22 completed attacks, 20 foiled attacks and three failed attacks. This marks a decline from 2024, when 58 attacks were recorded;
• 486 suspects were arrested for terrorism-related offences across 20 countries, compared to 449 in 2024;
• 24 of the 45 attacks and 347 of the 486 arrests related to jihadism;
• 43 of the arrests were related to right-wing terrorism, including three arrests in Ireland; 
• Five fatalities and 81 injuries resulted from jihadist attacks, with one fatality from a right-wing attack 

The report says that eight of the nine completed jihadist terrorist attacks in 2025 involved stabbing with knives (including the one in Ireland), while right-wing terror attacks tended to involve explosives.

But Europol highlights a broader terrorism threat facing Europe, beyond the established ideologies of jihadism, right-wing and left-wing terrorism. 

“Terrorism in Europe is entering a new phase,” Europol’s release said. “The latest [report] shows how online ecosystems are fundamentally reshaping the way terrorist threats emerge, evolve online and materialise offline.” 

The report also says that secure digital apps and social media algorithms are fuelling radicalisation and violent extremisms: “Encrypted messaging apps, anonymous forums, algorithm-driven social media platforms and other modern technologies still allow for the spread of propaganda and the circulation of ambiguous, contradictory, or unstable ideas.” 

• Cormac O'Keeffe is Security Correspondent.