Photopress belfast12/16/2023 ![]() The report said disruption by law enforcement and the Covid-19 restrictions has had “a suppressive effect” and that the number of attacks in Northern Ireland continued to drop, with two failed attacks on national security targets reported in 2021. ![]() It said both groups rely on a support network of members active in Northern Ireland and the Republic. It said the New IRA (nIRA) continued to be the “dominant group” and remained engaged in attack planning, while the threat from CIRA was largely localised to small geographic areas of Northern Ireland. “Targets included politicians, government representatives, police, health authorities involved in the management of the crisis, or personnel from test and vaccination centres.” “Such forms of violent extremism materialised in open threats, hateful messages spread online and, in some cases, the use of violence,” it said. It said violent anti-Covid-19 and anti-government extremism, which was not affiliated with traditional violent extremist and terrorist activities, emerged in some Member States and non-EU countries. This has been enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic measures, such as school closures and prolonged social isolation. The report said mental health issues were of “growing concern” among law enforcement agencies” as they may make some individuals more susceptible to right-wing extremist ideas. It said international online connections and networks, especially the ones with USA contacts, “play a strong role in spreading propaganda in the EU”. ![]() It said these consist mostly of very young men “with the potential for lone actor attacks”. It said that while the right-wing scene used to concentrate mostly on hierarchically organised neo-Nazi groups, loose international networks have emerged online. "Gaming platforms and gaming communication services popular among young people and children are used for spreading right-wing terrorist and extremist propaganda," it said.
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