A return to violence: terrorism in Europe

The attack in Vienna on Monday, in which Islamist gunmen killed four people, follows a spate of terrorism in Europe. Recent killings in Dresden, Paris and Nice recall a bloody spell of attacks in 2015-16. But since then Islamist terrorism in Europe has declined. Between 2017 and 2019 the total number of failed, foiled or completed attacks fell every year. Though many feared that a flood of returning fighters from Iraq and Syria would wreak havoc, that has not happened. In fact, none of the recent suspects is thought to have travelled there. But extremists with looser jihadist ties continue to turn violent; online propaganda plays a role. Suspects in Dresden and Vienna had also recently been released from prison, where many are further radicalised. The problem is likely to get worse: in France almost half of the jihadists who were convicted in the past six years will be released within the next two.

islamist: 伊斯兰主义者，伊斯兰教主义者
a spate of： 一连串（多指不愉快的事）
a spell of：一阵，一段持续的时间
foil：挫败，阻止
a flood of：一大批
wreak：造成（巨大伤害或破坏）/wreak sth.
havoc: 浩劫
looser: 不受约束的，自由的
jihadist: 伊斯兰圣战士
tie: 关系，纽带
propaganda: 宣传，鼓吹
radicalised: 激进的
convict: 定罪，宣判…有罪