Western intelligence agencies have successfully thwarted at least 10 jihadist attacks across Europe last year, with the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas further escalating the threat of terrorism, according to Dutch intelligence agency AIVD.
The foiled attacks included plans to randomly stab people and target specific buildings and events, the AIVD revealed in its annual report. The agency attributed the increased threat to two main factors: the destruction of Korans in the Netherlands and other European countries, and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
In response to these heightened risks, Sweden raised its terror alert to the second-highest level in August after incidents targeting the holy book of Islam sparked outrage among Muslims and threats from jihadists. Tragically, in October, two Swedish football fans were shot dead in Brussels by a man claiming allegiance to the Islamic State jihadist group.
The threat of terrorism also hit close to home in France, where a 20-year-old man carried out a fatal stabbing at a school in Arras, leaving one teacher dead and two others gravely wounded. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack as “barbaric Islamic terrorism.”
As the conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate, the AIVD has raised its threat level for the first time since 2019, citing the war in Gaza as a significant factor. The agency did not specify how many of the foiled attacks occurred after the outbreak of hostilities on October 7.
With tensions running high and the specter of terrorism looming large, Western intelligence agencies remain on high alert, working tirelessly to prevent further attacks and keep the public safe.