European Police Ops Disrupt ‘The Com’ Terrorist Content Network

Nine European countries, including Portugal, Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden, carried out a two‑month joint operation against the online extremist network known as “The Com”. Coordinated by Europol’s specialised unit and Spain’s Centre for Intelligence against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), the effort resulted in the flagging of 4,340 URLs linked to nihilistic violent extremism.

Portugal’s National Counter‑Terrorism Unit of the Polícia Judiciária identified 132 pieces of content on the Telegram platform, describing videos and images of self‑harm, suicide, child sexual abuse, animal cruelty and violent assaults, as well as manuals on grooming, homicide and improvised explosive devices. The operation aimed to disrupt the digital ecosystem, curb the spread of propaganda, open new investigative lines and improve platform awareness of terrorist material.

The coordinated action highlights broader European cooperation to counter online extremist propaganda and protect vulnerable minors who are both victims and potential recruits.