Major takedown of critical online infrastructure to disrupt terrorist communications and propaganda

Judicial and law enforcement authorities across Europe and in the United States have dismantled critical online infrastructure in a large-scale operation to disrupt platforms and websites for terrorist communications and propaganda. In a concerted major action this week, servers were taken down in Germany, the Netherlands, United States and Iceland, with the Spanish authorities arresting nine radicalised individuals.

The servers supported multiple media outlets linked to Islamic State. They were used to disseminate worldwide propaganda and messages capable of inciting terrorism in at least thirty languages. Eurojust and Europol coordinated and supported the joint operations.

This week’s joint operations are part of ongoing efforts and constant vigilance to tackle online terrorist propaganda and communications, including through social media. They targeted key tools and nodes to disseminate radical messages centred on the I’LAM Foundation, which created, operated or supported websites and other communication channels linked to the Islamic State terrorist organisation.

Investigations and the continuous monitoring of online activities of terrorist organisations, led by the Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) in 2022 gave insight into the communications of media linked to the I’LAM Foundation. The traceability was complex, as they operated new and sophisticated technological infrastructures. These were hosted on servers that have since been taken down.

Read more: Europol