Islamic Terror Cell Busted in the Netherlands

The following TV news report is not current, but may still be of interest. Dutch News reported at the time (late September):

Dutch Police Arrest Seven Men, Say They Foiled a Major Terrorist Attack

Dutch police said on Thursday evening they believe they have foiled a major terrorist attack in the Netherlands with the arrest of seven men in Arnhem and Weert. The men range in age from 21 to 34 and three of them, including the ringleader, have previous convictions for attempting to join IS in Syria, the public prosecution department said.

Many thanks to C for the translation, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling:

Video transcript:

00:00   Shocking news this evening. In some sense shocking, but fortunately there’s also good news.
00:05   A terrorist cell which was planning a terrorist attack has been busted.
00:11   How did you become aware of this group? Well, let me be honest,
00:14   it’s not thanks to me, but to the [security] services.
00:17   In April of this year they reported that a person who had been in ISIS territory,
00:23   and who’d been convicted for that,
00:29   was possibly planning an attack. National police and ministry of public affairs (OM),
00:36   in collaboration with local police, set up a task force to track this man.
00:43   A few other people turned out to be of interest as well,
00:46   and this resulted in the arrest today of this group by the police,
00:51   together with Special Intervention Service.
00:57   And this was a group that was looking to acquire AK47s, bomb vests, and that kind of lethal gear.
01:06   They have been observed for months. Was their target known?
01:10   I can’t comment on that, since the investigation is ongoing.
01:14   It’s clear in any case, given the evidence, that they were
01:19   busy with preparations, and they were observed closely.
01:24   The planning was at an advanced stage? Well, not so far that it would endanger society,
01:30   in the sense that it was almost too late. Absolutely not.
01:36   But they were at an advanced stage of preparations.
01:41   What does this mean for the current threat level?
01:44   Well, early last month we said the threat level remains at 4, almost the highest level.
01:52   At around the same time, that [stabbing] attack in Amsterdam occurred.
01:57   And I see my own concern, and my plea to keep it at that level, confirmed.
02:05   The Belgians lowered it, but I think that we in the Netherlands should remain vigilant.
02:10   We have exceptional security services. My compliments to the police, OM and
02:14   intelligence services, but we as a society should remain alert.
02:17   Seven men have been arrested, what is their role exactly? What can you say about these people?
02:23   No, I won’t comment, except that the first person came to our attention because,
02:29   according to intelligence services, he was, well…
02:36   recruiting people for a terrorist attack. That’s what I can say.
02:40   And we now have to let the task force do its job.
02:45   You just said they had plenty of weapons. Can you give examples
02:48   of what they had or wanted to acquire?
02:51   They wanted Kalashnikovs, AK47s, and bomb vests;
02:55   such were the things they wanted to have.
03:02   I won’t comment on exactly how things went. It’s the case that the [security] services
03:07   intervened at exactly the intended point in time.
03:13   Last question: we’re talking about a person who went to Syria,
03:17   and came back, an ISIS operative… from Islamic State territory, I should say.
03:20   What does this say about the danger that these people evidently pose?
03:24   I think we must realize that it’s not over yet, that people who fought there
03:31   have not just abandoned the ideal to fight against the West.
03:39   I think this is a reminder that we must be vigilant.
03:43   Are there, at this time, measures being taken against more such types of people who are now
03:47   here in the Netherlands? —No comment, for reasons I’m sure you’ll understand.
03:51   Thank you.
 

Hat tip for the article: Reader From Chicago.

One thought on “Islamic Terror Cell Busted in the Netherlands

  1. Terror cells are like cockroaches…for every one we know about, there are 100 we don’t yet know about.

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