142 failed, foiled and completed terrorist attacks in EU in 2016

A total of 142 failed, foiled and completed terrorist attacks were reported by eight European Union (EU) countries in 2016, according to the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report published in Valletta on Thursday.


These attacks saw 142 victims die and 379 people injured, said the report.

It noted that the attacks occurred in eight member states, with more than half reported by Britain.

France reported a total of 23 attacks, Italy 17, Spain ten, Greece six, Germany five, Belgium four and the Netherlands one attack.

A total of 1,002 individuals were arrested for terrorist offences in 2016 and most arrests were related to "jihadist terrorism," the report said.

The report warned that women and young adults, and even children, are playing ever increasing operational roles in committing terrorist activities independently in the EU.

The data indicated that 291 out of 1002 arrested were aged 25 or younger.

In 2016, 17 EU Member States reported to have concluded a total of 275 court proceedings in relation to terrorism, which concerned 580 individuals, 53 of whom were female.

"Jihadist attacks" accounted for nearly all the reported fatalities and a majority of causalities. Explosives were used in 40 percent of the attacks.

"Fighting terrorism will remain at the top of our common political priorities for the time to come, not just in Europe but globally. For the safety of our citizens, and for the cohesion of our societies, we need to step up our information exchange and our cross-border cooperation at all levels," said EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos.
  [globaltimes.cn/Xinhua]
16/6/17