Threat of right-wing terrorist attacks in Netherlands 'rising'

The Netherland's intelligence service has reported a rise in the threat of right-wing extremism throughout the country, noting the risk posed to the democratic legal order.

Discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation and religion is commonly accepted within the country's right-wing groups.
AP Archive

Discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation and religion is commonly accepted within the country's right-wing groups.

The Netherlands Security and Intelligence Agency (AIVD) in its latest report has warned that the possibility of terrorist attacks by extreme right-wing groups in the country is increasing.

The "AIVD 2021" report, which compiles national dangers to the country, was released on Thursday.

According to the report, there is a risk that radical ideologies in the country will lead to extremist intentions and the use of violence.

Noting that extreme right-wing groups gained more followers and drew more attention in 2021, it stated that these groups applauded chaos, excluded minorities, and turned a blind eye to violence with the aim of a violent revolution in the Netherlands.

It further noted that a violence-prone movement is becoming more prevalent among far-right groups, and its members glorify violence in closed online chat groups.

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'A racial war is on the horizon'

The intelligence service also paid close attention to a terrorist right-wing extremist movement known as "accelerationism," which is a set of ideas in critical and social theory that proposes that social processes such as capitalist growth and technological change should be dramatically accelerated in order to create further radical social change known as "acceleration."

Supporters believe that a racial war is on the horizon and aim to hasten its onset by carrying out attacks.

These groups have "several hundred followers," according to the AIVD, adding that the size of these movements would rise.

"It is expected that only a small minority will want to use terrorist violence themselves, but it is difficult to predict who will take that step," the report added.

The research stated that discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation and religion is commonly accepted and that this would weaken the democratic legal order.

READ MORE: Has the coronavirus exposed populist regimes?

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