Vulnerable young people are recruited into these online chat groups, who are then forced to commit self-harm, animal abuse, sexual abuse and in some cases even suicide.
The images of this are shared in all kinds of chat groups on Telegram and Discord. In addition, there is also other extreme material circulating, such as torture or child pornography.
The police tell Zembla that there have already been several investigations into members of these groups. According to research by NRC there appear to be about 25 Dutch young people involved in these so-called 764 groups. It is estimated that there are several thousand members worldwide.
‘Man prosecuted for participation in terrorist organization’
Zembla discovered that a 24-year-old man from Eindhoven was arrested in June because he allegedly played an important role in the sadistic chat groups. He is being prosecuted by the Public Prosecution Service for participation in a terrorist organization and is being held in the terrorist department of the prison in Vught.
In addition to the Eindhoven resident, three more Dutch participants were identified by Zembla, two of which were from North Holland: the 28-year-old Amsterdammer and the boy from Zaandam, whose age is not mentioned.
The Amsterdammer acknowledges in the Zembla broadcast that he is active in the chat groups, but says that he does not force anyone to do anything. The police searched the Zaandammer’s house.
Major concerns among the Public Prosecution Service and the police
The Public Prosecution Service and the police are very concerned about these online chat groups. Police say some of the footage in the groups is so gruesome that even specialist detectives cannot look at it. Parents are called on to talk to young people about the problem.