National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg: ''The speed at which teenagers and young adults radicalize online in both jihadist and right-wing extremist environments is concerning. Young people may eventually resort to acts of terrorist violence. Therefore, addressing online radicalization is crucial, as is moderating terrorist and extremist content by social media platforms.''

Jihadism is the greatest terrorist threat to Europe. Just like in the second half of 2024, there have been dozens of attacks and disrupted attack plans in Europe over the past few months. Many perpetrators of these attacks act alone, although they are inspired by the terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS). The attacks often occur in simple ways, such as knife attacks or by driving into a crowd, resulting in many casualties. The attacks are primarily targeted at Jewish or Israeli individuals or at those accused of desecrating Islam.

The threat from older physical jihadist networks is decreasing. In contrast, a new generation of jihadists is part of online groups, where they connect with like-minded individuals. These online networks largely consist of teenagers and young adults who create, edit, and spread jihadist content. There is a risk that individuals or a group inspired by this online propaganda may resort to violence in the Netherlands. The number of minors arrested in the Netherlands for terrorism has also increased in recent years.

Similar to jihadist youth, the NCTV sees a rapid online radicalization of youth in right-wing extremist online networks. This group also largely consists of young people searching for their identity and wanting to give meaning to their lives, often combined with psychiatric or psychosocial problems.

Online, these youths easily find themselves in right-wing extremist groups and chats. In these online groups, radicalization can occur quickly as extremist language is encouraged and liked. These young people sporadically meet in person and are online members of multiple chat groups, where new groups frequently emerge. This makes it difficult to determine the size of these networks. Through the use of social media and participation in online networks or groups, they come into contact with violent and terrorist content. There is a real chance that individuals within these groups may rapidly radicalize and ultimately resort to terrorist violence.

There is an increasing state threat from Russia. This chapter discusses the consequences of the Russian threat on extremism and terrorism in the Netherlands. Russian disinformation resonates in the Netherlands among anti-institutional and right-wing extremists. Interactions between the Russian government or affiliated individuals and Western anti-institutional and right-wing extremists are part of this threat, but occur less frequently in our country than in other Western countries. For now, the impact of these interactions on the extremist and terrorist threat in the Netherlands is limited.