A terrorist attack inspired by the Columbine school massacre was foiled in Luxembourg
Marc Serota, Unsplash
The Luxembourg government has confirmed that an attack inspired by the Columbine High School massacre in the United States in 2023 was foiled. The suspect was planning a terrorist attack but was apprehended thanks to a swift law enforcement operation. The operation was conducted in strict secrecy as international verification was required, which delayed the release of the information. This highlights the complexity of security co-operation between countries.
Three people linked to suspected terrorist financing have been arrested in Luxembourg since 2023. Two were placed in custody and the third was under judicial control. An 18-year-old Luxembourg national was also detained for publishing extremist content on Instagram. However, none of these cases are linked to right-wing movements, which refutes fears of a rise in far-right extremism in the country.
The Government makes extensive use of security legislation governing the State Intelligence Service. The main areas of work include:
- Preventing violent extremism and terrorism.
- Co-operation with the police counter-terrorism unit and the judiciary.
- Close co-operation with Europol in the pan-European fight against terrorism.
To combat radicalisation, the Centre against Radicalisation - respect.lu - was established in 2017. It supports individuals at risk of radicalisation as well as their families. In addition, a specialised penitentiary centre for juveniles is planned in response to the challenges posed by youth terrorism.
Luxembourg is actively implementing European laws to combat the spread of extremist content on the Internet. Under the 2024 law, hosting providers are required to remove extremist content within one hour of receiving notification. Administrative and criminal penalties are envisaged in case of non-compliance.
The Government's responses emphasise Luxembourg's high level of preparedness to prevent terrorist threats and also demonstrate close international co-operation. It is expected that strengthened legislation and the involvement of digital technologies will help to more effectively combat extremism, including its manifestations on the Internet.
