On September 27th, Police in the Netherlands arrested seven individuals, allegedly involved in plans to commit a terrorist attack, according to a police report. Police claimed that the plan was at an “advanced” stage.
Beelden van de arrestaties in het terrorisme onderzoek. pic.twitter.com/ji5w3mLeCM
— Landelijke Eenheid (@PolitieLE) September 27, 2018
Dutch Justice and Security Minister Ferdinand Graphherhaus said: “The group was not so far away yet that it was almost too late, but they were quite late in the preparations.”
The plot involved detonating explosives at a big event, then opening fire with AK-47s, following all of this with a car bomb being detonated.
Police claimed that the detained men were attempting to procure rifles, along with smaller sidearms, car bomb material, bombs and grenades.
Five of the arrested men were armed at the time of detainment. Authorities said that the arrests were made in Arnhem and Weert on the afternoon of September 27th.
Three of the men are from Arnhem, two are from Rotterdam, one from Huissen and the last one from Vlaardingen. Arraignment hearings will take place on September 28th.
One of the men is a 34-year-old previously convicted of trying to travel to a warzone connected to ISIS. AIVD, the Dutch intelligence services said that it uncovered information that he wished for a group of people to carry out an attack “at a large event in the Netherlands and wanted there to be many victims.”
The ages of the men are between 21 and 34, two other individuals were also convicted of attempting to travel to ISIS battle sites.
Grapperhaus spoke regarding the 34-year-old individual. “The services received signals in April this year that a person had been in IS territory. A large criminal investigation network has been set up around that man and this has led to the police being able to arrest these people with special interventions.” The Netherlands terror threat level will remain at four, one below the highest level added the minister. “That means that the chance of an attack is real,” Graphheraus said.
Late on September 27th, Dutch police released a 28 second video footage showing the arrests of the seven individuals. The video shows special forces teams raiding a white van in a parking lot and entering a home.
The Daily Star reported that the arrest took place one month after an Afghan man was shot by police in Amsterdam’s central station after stabbing two American tourists.
