All children 'jihadist' suspects return home

All six children of the two sets of parents from Huizen who were arrested in the last weekend of August on suspicion of wanting to take their families to Syria to join the caliphate have been released and may return home. The juvenile court magistrate in Utrecht has decided they may be taken out of foster care, the Algemeen Dagblad reports. 

The examining judge in this case made the decision last thursday that three of the suspects could be released as there was insufficient evidence to hold them on claims of jihadist intentions. One parent is still in custody as his case provides enough evidence that he supports IS and planned to take his family to the caliphate. According to the District Attorney, the 31-year-old man openly admitted to the police that his intentions were to travel to Syria.

One family is cleared of suspicions of wanting to travel to Syria. These were released on Thursday last week, and they have regained custody of their eight-year-old baby. The mother of five boys is also reunited with her family, while her husband remains in custody.

On the 29th of August, the juvenile court magistrate decided that there was a crisis situation in both families, warranting authorities to place the children in foster care, and to place the families under supervision for three months. Now, the court says there is no reason for government supervision over the children. Supervision of the children as well as the placement of these children in foster care has been lifted.

The Child Protection Agency has declared no worrying situation for the children of these families, neither about their upbringing nor any other unsafe circumstances. The Agency will continue investigations, which the parents have promised to help with.

The two families may not leave the country for the coming time. Their passports have been declared expired, and they may not apply for new documents.