Police in the Netherlands say they have foiled plans for a “major” terror attack on a public event.
Seven men aged between 21 and 34 were taken into custody on Thursday by “heavily armed police” in the towns of Arnhem, southeast of Amsterdam, and Weert, near the Belgian border, Sky News reports.
“Three of them, including the ringleader, have previous convictions for attempting to join IS [Islamic State] in Syria,” says English-language site DutchNews.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the suspects “were looking for AK47s, handguns, hand grenades, suicide jackets and the ingredients for a car bomb” for an attack targeting an as-yet-unspecified “event”.
“They had also been looking for training in the use of guns and the suicide jackets,” the department said, adding that “the investigation into the exact target is still ongoing”.
The seven men have been held in isolation and allowed contact only with their lawyers ahead of a first hearing before a court in Rotterdam today, DutchNews reports.
Dutch police had been tracking the 34-year-old Iraqi national accused of leading the cell since April, following a tip-off from the country’s security service.
The investigation was “accelerated” this month in light of evidence that the suspects were getting closer to carrying out their plot, Sky News reports.
According to Dutch national broadcaster NOS, the suspects were in possession of a total of five small firearms between them when arrested.
“They were quite far in their preparations,” Minister for Justice and Security Ferd Grapperhaus told NOS.
“In a sense it is serious, but luckily it’s also good news – a terrorist cell that was plotting an attack has been taken down.”
The terror threat in the Netherlands will remain at its current classification of “substantial”, one level below the maximum risk.
-
Nepal chooses toddler as its new ‘living goddess’Under the Radar Girls between two and four are typically chosen to live inside the temple as the Kumari – until puberty strikes
-
October 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Dozens dead in Kashmir as terrorists target touristsSpeed Read Visitors were taking pictures and riding ponies in a popular mountain town when assailants open fired, killing at least 26
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
