Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Police in Brussels detained a 14-year-old boy on January 23, 2025, after his plan to attack a mosque was exposed. Local authorities took into custody the teenager after reaching out through their Intelligence network about reports of an upcoming strike on the mosque.
Security forces detained a 14-year-old boy in Brussels because he planned to strike a mosque on January 24, 2025. The authorities received an information tip before they executed a search at the teenager’s home, where weapons and computer technology were seized. Belgian authorities express concerns about how extremists radicalise teenage residents in Belgium.
The arrest received confirmation from Belgian Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt during parliamentary sessions while the nation shows increasing concern about young people becoming radicalised. Police found weapons and computer equipment at the boy’s residence when they executed a search warrant. After investigations, the teenager was detained in a secured facility within the juvenile protection system.
The planned attack underscores the increasing involvement of minors in extremist activities. According to Belgium’s State Security Service, nearly one in three individuals involved in violent plots in recent years has been under 18.
“This morning (Thursday, ed.) a 14-year-old boy – I would say a ‘little boy’ – was arrested who allegedly wanted to commit an attack on a mosque.”
Van Tigchelt
Officials noted that online radicalization is accelerating rapidly, enabling minors to adopt extremist ideologies at alarming speeds.
“This morning, a house search was conducted at the suspect’s residence. Weapons and computer equipment were seized there, among other things,”
The public prosecutor’s office said.
The Muslim Council of Belgium expressed “deep concern” over the incident, calling it a wake-up call to address the vulnerabilities of young people to extremist influences. The organisation recognised the necessity of public service alignment between educational institutions and both authorities and religious organisations to defend both religious institutions and existing internet-based extremism threats.
The case shows part of a growing pattern where non-adults display extremist tendencies. Law authorities arrested several terrorists last year targeting a concert venue because the cell included three minors alongside an 18-year-old. The authorities make it clear that preventing these incidents requires shifting radicalisation programs to the cradle roots.
Youth radicalisation in Belgium
Belgium experiences major difficulties managing youth radicalisation, according to recent arrest data. A recent report from the State Security Service shows minors rarely commit violent acts but exhibit increasing participation in terrorist planning and spreading propaganda activities. The spread of extremist content online alongside fast digital influence on young people explains this emerging trend.
In the Chamber, Van Tigchelt pointed out the increasing number of radicalising minors.
“At the moment, we see that 1 in 3 suspects who appear in terror files involving violence are minors. That is a disturbing increase.“
According to State Security, over the past 3 years, it has been
“several dozen.”
A recent report by State Security shows that 3 out of 4 of those minors are of jihadist persuasion. A quarter act from right-wing extremist ideology.
The problem of radicalisation affects young people throughout the entire Belgian nation. Statistics show Germany experienced a 10% increase in far-right criminal activity as anti-far-right demonstrations became widespread throughout the United Kingdom in 2019.
Belgium works to resolve societal challenges through educational initiatives combined with community-based programs. The government stepped up protection for religious institutions after previous attacks against places of worship.
The case brings attention to how extremist ideologies are propagated through online channels. Social media platforms encounter criticism because there isn’t regulation to stop advertisements of radicalised content propagating hate. Multiple experts have suggested that enhanced regulations, together with better monitoring systems, would both serve to reduce the chances of vulnerable people entering extremist networks.
