Dutch police arrested seven young Muslims last week after the man considered to be the main suspect made a video to say farewell to his family and friends. Justice officials claim the video made by Samir A., 19, referred to an act he 'had carried out'. The eight-minute video tape is in Arabic and it is unclear what "act" Samir was talking about, informed sources told the media. Police suspect he was planning a suicide attack. He is under investigation for plotting attacks on politicians and a government building.
The Dutch intelligence service AIVD got a copy of the video and gave it to the national detective service, which ordered the raids in several Dutch cities last Friday. The authorities claimed afterwards that Samir was trying to obtain automatic weapons and explosives prior to his arrest. No weapons or bomb-making materials were seized during the raids. Seven suspects were held in Almere, Amsterdam and The Hague. Six are men, aged 18 to 30. The seventh is a 24-year-old woman. Samir was cleared by a court earlier this year of plotting terrorist attacks on key installations in the Netherlands. He is considered the main suspect in the latest investigation. His lawyer, Victor Koppe, expressed doubts about the police claims in relation to the video. |