The number of potential threats linked to extremism or terrorism reported has significantly decreased last year, the Belgian Federal Agency for the Coordination and Analysis of Threats (OCAD/OCAM) reported.
Authorities, including police and intelligence services, forwarded 157 reports to the OCAD last year, with only 5% of these assessed as "level 3," indicating "serious" threats.
No threats were classified as "level 4," the highest level denoting "very serious and imminent" danger.
In comparison, 213 relevant reports were submitted in 2024, with 12% categorised as level 3 at some point. This followed a peak in 2023, which saw 332 reports, 7% at level 3, and one classified as level 4.
The OCAD attributes the decline to factors such as the "loss of operational capacity and diminished appeal" of organisations like ISIS. Additionally, certain global events have been less "mobilising" than in previous years.
As a result, reports related to Islamist extremism dropped from 55% of all extremist and terrorism-related reports in 2024 to 39% in 2025, representing 62 cases.
Despite the decrease, OCAD said Islamist extremism remains the "dominant ideological trend." Threats linked to foreign actors account for 24% of reports, targeting entities such as embassies or diaspora members.
Political extremism on the far-right has risen notably, making up 13% of all reports in 2025, compared to 5% in 2024. Far-left extremism remains marginal, increasing slightly to 4% from 1% the previous year.
Of all reported threats, 59% were assessed as low (level 1), 36% as moderate (level 2), and 5% as serious (level 3).
In three-quarters of cases, individuals acting alone were responsible, and 13% of identified perpetrators were minors.
