AMSTERDAM — Dutch military police arrested an intruder on a military training ground last week, it was reported on Wednesday. Police found a large quantity of munitions during a search of the man's home in the town of Oss. The search turned up 45 training grenades in an ammunition box, smoke grenades and a heavier type of training grenade. Police discovered a self-made bomb made out of one of the heavy training grenades on the balcony of the apartment. | All you'd have to do would be to tape a bunch of nails to one. |
The 29-year-old native Dutchman was arrested last week after he was spotted by a sergeant on De Oirschotse Heide training ground, which is closed to the public. He told investigators he is a convert to Islam and that he has links to the Hofstadgroep. He also claimed he had stolen the grenades on an earlier occasion from the training ground, a police spokesperson for the public prosecutor told the media. | Either they store grenades on the grounds or he was picking up stuff that had been "misplaced". Friends in National Guard have told me stories about burying training munitions that they had signed out but never used. Didn't want to go through all the paperwork of turning it back in. Might be the same here. |
The Hofstadgroep is described as an Muslim terror group by the authorities. Several young Muslim men are awaiting trial for alleged membership of the group. Mohammed B., the man jailed for life for the murdering filmmaker Theo van Gogh, is charged with membership of the group.
Prosecutors said on Tuesday that the number of charges faced by Mohammed B. and the other suspects has been reduced. Specific allegations of plotting to kill politicians have been dropped. |