Europol said an international law enforcement operation known as Project Compass has resulted in the arrest of 30 alleged members of an online extremist and criminal network known as The Com. The operation, launched in January 2025 and coordinated by Europol’s European Counter Terrorism Centre with support from authorities in 28 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany and the Netherlands, aims to disrupt the decentralised network and identify individuals involved in various criminal activities across digital platforms.
In addition to the arrests, authorities have identified or partially identified 179 people believed to be connected to The Com, according to Europol. Investigators have also identified up to 62 victims and directly safeguarded four of them as part of the operation. Europol said none of the 30 people arrested so far have been publicly named.
Europol describes The Com as a decentralised online network of mostly teenagers and young adults that operates across social media, messaging applications, online gaming environments and music streaming services. Project Compass targets subgroups within the network that are linked to criminal behaviour. According to descriptions by law enforcement officials, the network includes offshoots that engage in cybercrime such as ransomware and extortion, activities that encourage property damage or personal harm, and schemes that exploit vulnerable individuals.
Law enforcement agencies said the operation focuses on sharing intelligence, coordinating investigations and enabling earlier interventions against activities attributed to The Com. The initiative encourages cooperation among partner nations to close gaps that criminals might use to evade detection. Europol officials have said that no single country can address the network’s activities in isolation.
Project Compass is structured to combine resources and expertise from participating countries, allowing specialised units to contribute to ongoing investigations and preventative guidance. Authorities said this approach has yielded initial results by enabling the identification of suspects and help for victims, though they emphasised that a large number of individuals connected to the network remain unidentified and at large.
The Com’s decentralised structure has posed challenges for law enforcement, as subgroups within the network operate with varying objectives and tactics. Officials said the network’s activities have included criminal extortion, recruitment and exploitation of vulnerable people, and other offences that extend across international borders. Europol said continued cooperation is necessary to address the evolving threats attributed to The Com and similar online networks.