The Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office, in cooperation with the public prosecutor’s offices in Stuttgart and Munich, has conducted the first comprehensive criminological evaluation of investigation files on the so-called ‘terrorist scene’. The most important findings about this right-wing extremist scene, which organises and radicalises itself online and is extremely prone to violence and terrorism, have now been presented by Home Secretary Thomas Strobl.

“The digital space must not be a legal vacuum, a breeding ground for extremist propaganda and recruitment. With the world’s first criminological analysis, we have shed light on the so-called “terror gram scene”. This decentralised network of mostly very young, extremely violent perpetrators/individuals who radicalise in a very short time is a security policy challenge. It is important to note that the security authorities have worked very efficiently here. Thanks to close cooperation between the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the police, radicalised individuals were identified at an early stage and terrorist plans were prevented. At the same time, almost all of them had been diagnosed with mental illness or psychological abnormalities. This makes it all the more important that everyone takes a very close look at this in order to combat and dry up the scene,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Thomas Strobl at the presentation of the results of the analysis project today (Tuesday, 13 January 2026) in Stuttgart.

The term ‘Terrorgram’ refers to a right-wing extremist network that forms primarily digitally via the Telegram messenger service, where it disseminates content that advocates and propagates terrorist violence. It is a youth-dominated, violent neo-fascist and right-wing extremist scene. Attacks and rampages are glorified and calls are made to imitate them. The online scene glorifying violence has been growing rapidly for years. It aims to cause chaos through violence and thus bring about the collapse of social order. The members’ propensity for violence is high; the vast majority of perpetrators in the cases examined in the study had made advanced or clearly visible preparations for acts of violence. For example, they had procured weapons or were well advanced in planning the act.

Important findings of the study are:

1. The ‘terrorism scene’ is very young. The average age is just over 16.
2. Rapid radicalisation is taking place. For 50 per cent, the path to radicalisation takes less than a year.
3. The cases are almost always (in three-quarters of cases) discovered by the security authorities themselves. Conversely, this also shows that the security authorities have worked very efficiently in this area.
4. Almost all individuals have been diagnosed with mental illness or abnormalities. The high proportion of over 68 per cent with diagnosed mental illnesses was surprising. A further 24 per cent showed clear signs of such illnesses. This means that the environment also plays a particularly important role as an early warning system.
5. The vast majority of individuals are neglected by their families and socially disintegrated. The state government’s goal is therefore to help young people take advantage of available social and youth work services.
6. The propensity for violence is high, with the vast majority having taken advanced or clearly visible preparatory steps (e.g. procuring weapons or advanced planning) for violent acts.
7. 37 individuals have come to the attention of the security authorities between 2020 and 2025. The estimated number of unreported cases in this scene is in the very high three-digit range.

The State Security Analysis and Research Unit at the State Security and Anti-Terrorism Centre of the Baden-Württemberg State Criminal Police Office (SAT BW) carried out the research project in cooperation with the public prosecutor’s offices in Stuttgart and Munich. The aim of the criminological evaluation of the 37 cases was to examine the nature and radicalisation processes of the ‘terrorist scene’. To this end, the researchers examined files on known cases from the police and judiciary in Germany with a connection to the ‘terrorist scene’ according to scientific criteria and using a questionnaire.

In a next step, the SAT BW will now use these findings to derive practical measures – such as guidelines for exit programmes, investigations and the judiciary. With the evidence-based investigative work of the SAT BW, which closely links the police and academia in a way that is unique in Germany, the Baden-Württemberg police have already set the right course. Through rapid communication, the involvement of research and the cooperation of all key players, we have developed a good early warning system. In addition, the Competence Centre against Extremism, or konex for short, offers numerous special training courses for people in the field, including teachers and school psychologists, and provides direct exit support. To this end, konex works closely with institutions such as universities and university hospitals to raise awareness and further expand the early warning system.

The study can be accessed at the following link: https://lka.polizei-bw.de/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2026/01/RZ_SATBW_Bericht_2025_web.pdf