GoKawiilEuropol has flagged 4,340 URLs for removal during a multi-week operation targeting online content linked to "The Com," a loosely organized network of nihilistic violent extremist groups.
Investigators from nine countries (i.e., Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden) took part in what Europol called "Referral Action Days" between June and July 2026.
The joint action, which ties into the European Commission's ProtectEU counterterrorism agenda and was 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, limit nihilistic violent extremism content disseminated online by The Com groups, and generate new investigative leads.
"The Com's content is laced with coded language and emojis that adults may struggle to decipher, conveying sinister messages that encourage self-harm and the sexual exploitation of minors. [..] The content referenced in this operation includes violent videos and images depicting self-harm, suicide, child sexual abuse material (CSAM), animal cruelty, and violent attacks," Europol said. "
"Other types of content include videos of violent street attacks, a practice known as 'manhunt,' or arson. Additionally, The Com produces manuals or guides covering topics such as grooming, murder, improvised explosives, or ideological viewpoints. These manuals are created by groups to instruct members on methods for committing violent attacks, grooming and (s)extorting vulnerable minors, or conducting doxing and swatting."
This builds on Project Compass, a yearlong operation launched in January 2025 and led by Europol's European Counter Terrorism Centre, which has brought together law enforcement from 28 countries.
As BleepingComputer previously reported in February, that broader effort has resulted in 30 arrests and identified 179 suspects tied to The Com, along with 62 victims.
In January 2025, Europol also published a notification on the rise of online cult communities specifically targeting young people.
What is The Com?
Europol describes The Com (short for Community) as a decentralized network lacking unified ideology, where some factions pursue violent right-wing extremist and accelerationist beliefs.
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