14-year-old from Cologne is suspected of terrorism-IS propaganda on Tiktok!
14-year-old from Cologne is suspected of terrorism-IS propaganda on Tiktok!
A 14-year-old adolescent from Cologne is suspected of terrorism after security authorities have received references to a planned Islamist terrorist attack on a Cologne Christmas market in December 2025. This was known through an exchange of information between various security authorities, such as use extremist groups effectively to spread their messages and to gain new supporters. The algorithm of the platforms can help generate filter bubbles that attract young people.
Investigations and reactions
The police carried out a search in the boy's parents' house. Chief Prosecutor Ulrich Bremer confirmed that there are no concrete attack plans to the Christmas market and that the boy is not in police custody. He voluntarily came to the police, where only his identity was checked. There was also no evidence of membership in IS, as Bremer stated. NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul was alerted by the situation and called it "outrageous". He called for more responsibility from social media regarding the spread of extremist content.
Reul emphasized the importance of a quick reaction from the security authorities and was concerned about the glorification of IS propaganda and the associated attack fantasies. He emphasized that the public prosecutor currently does not see any concrete security concerns about the immediate risk and encouraged a critical questioning of such content on social media.
dangers from social media
More and more young people are in contact with extremist content through social media. The police point out that extremist groups specifically address young people. They adapt their communication strategies to the preferences of their target group and thus create access to dangerous ideologies. According to Tagesschau , the distribution of such content is a serious problem that is observed not only in Cologne, but also elsewhere.
parents and teachers are called to promote media literacy and to raise awareness of the dangers of extremist content. The police recommend that extremism and ideologies openly discuss, reduce prejudices and show civil courage. It is important to listen to children in order to be able to recognize radicalization tendencies at an early stage. The exit from extremist groups can be difficult, but there are support and opportunities to change the direction.
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| Ort | Köln, Deutschland |
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