Europol Flags 4,340 URLs for Removal in Crackdown on 'The Com' Extremist Network

Europol Targets Extremist Content

Europol conducted "Referral Action Days" between June and July 2026, leading to the flagging of 4,340 URLs for removal. This operation focused on content associated with "The Com," a loosely organized network of nihilistic violent extremist groups. The initiative involved investigators from nine European countries: Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden.

Disrupting Online Extremism

The joint action, organized by Europol's EU Internet Referral Unit (EU IRU) and Spain's Intelligence Centre against Terrorism and Organised Crime (CITCO), aimed to disrupt The Com's online ecosystem. It sought to limit the dissemination of nihilistic violent extremism content and generate new investigative leads. This effort aligns with the European Commission's ProtectEU counterterrorism agenda.

Nature of the Content

Europol stated that The Com's content uses coded language and emojis to convey messages encouraging self-harm and the sexual exploitation of minors. The flagged content included violent videos and images depicting self-harm, suicide, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), animal cruelty, and violent attacks. Other materials referenced included videos of violent street attacks, known as 'manhunt,' and arson. The Com also produces manuals on topics such as grooming, murder, improvised explosives, and ideological viewpoints, intended to instruct members on committing violent acts, grooming minors, or conducting doxing and swatting.

Broader Context and Previous Operations

This operation builds on Project Compass, a yearlong initiative launched in January 2025 by Europol's European Counter Terrorism Centre, involving law enforcement from 28 countries. Project Compass has resulted in 30 arrests, identified 179 suspects, and 62 victims tied to The Com. In January 2025, Europol also issued a notification regarding the rise of online cult communities that specifically target young people.

Understanding 'The Com'

Europol describes "The Com" (short for Community) as a decentralized network without a unified ideology. Some factions within The Com hold violent right-wing extremist and accelerationist beliefs. These affiliated groups recruit and groom victims through social media, messaging apps, and gaming platforms, coercing them into self-harm, violence, and the production of child sexual abuse material.