Almost a third of people that planned ideologically motivated (political or religious) violent actions in Belgium between 2022 and 2024 were under the age of 18. The youngest person identified by the State Security Service was just 13 years old. The figures appear in the State Security Service’s annual report that was published this week. Three-quarters of the cases involving minors were related to jihadist activity.
“Since 2022, there has been a significant increase in cases related to jihadists activity and in the number of arrests of jihadists in Europe”, the Head of the State Security Service Francisca Bostyn told the daily ‘De Morgen’. The Belgian intelligence and security services are increasingly identifying minors as suspects in their investigations.
“This mainly concerns young people that produce and disseminate propaganda material” Ms Bostyn says. “We rarely see them carry out violent acts, but that doesn't mean they couldn’t be very dangerous. They glorify violence.”
Sometimes the young people on the State Security Service’s radar do plan attacks themselves. Last year, for example, a terrorist network of Islamist extremists was uncovered that included three minors and one 18-year-old. The terrorist cell was preparing an attack on a concert hall in Brussels.