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File photo of a Dutch police arrest team (photo: Politie)
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File photo of a Dutch police arrest team (photo: Politie)
Thursday, 19 May 2016 - 10:23
Roosendaal terrorist cell planned to attack Amsterdam: Report
A terrorist cell the police arrested in Roosendaal end April, was planning an attack in Amsterdam, according to Wednesday's broadcast of Dutch television program Onder de radar, newspaper AD reports.
The program broadcast footage of the police's preparations for a series of arrests in Roosendaal as well as footage of the actual arrests. What form of attack the suspects had planned, or what Amsterdam location they targeted, was not revealed. The police acted on a tip from abroad.
One of those arrested was a 35-year-old Egyptian. The show reports that the suspect is a jihadist that fought for a terrorist organization and that he traveled to the Netherlands with a fake Syrian passport following the asylum seeker route across the Balkans.
The show also contained footage of prime suspect Samir O.'s arrest and a raid on a shoarma cafe on Leemstraat where he was manager. The 56-year-old man was arrested at his home on Mathildadonk in Roosendaal. In the attic of his home the police found a bag with over 100 thousand euros in cash as well as a substance that was later confirmed to be an explosive material, according to the show.
The Public Prosecutor believes that O. financed the terrorist cell and provided for the 35-year-old jihadists suspect.
The owner of the shoarma cafe was also later arrested. He was on vacation in Egypt when the police raided his cafe. His role in this matter is unclear.