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Thursday, 22 January 2015 - 14:31
Susp. Amsterdam terrorist to stay in jail as investigation continues
The court in Rotterdam decided that the terrorist suspect Mohammed B. (27) will remain in custody for the time being. According to the court, there is enough evidence to keep him in custody. B. appeared in court for the first time today.
B. was arrested in October last year after a tip from the AIVD, who discovered that B. wanted to attack police officers or soldiers. B. came to the AIVD's attention when he inquired on how to make a bomb on the internet. According to his lawyer, this should not be taken seriously.
B. stayed with family in Amsterdam. During a search of the house, police found a notebook with notes on making a bomb. To this was added: "Mix well and throw it against things that pass quickly, for an example a car of the apostate police or a car of the tyrannical military." The police also found a letter to the Dutch government which stated: "This letter is from the followers of Islamic state to the Dutch Government. If you take part in the devilish coalition against the state, by Allah, then your days will be black. Oh Dutch people, we are the lions who swear by Allah: eye for eye, tooth for tooth, an oath of allegiance to IS"
The Public Prosecutor suspects that B. wanted to attack police officers or soldiers in retaliation for the participation of Dutch F-16's in the fight against the terrorist organization ISIS. B. probably acted alone. There is no evidence that he is part of a terrorist cell or network. However, according to the Public Prosecutor, it is clear that B. is a follower of ISIS.
In chat conversations on the internet, B. portrays himself as a supporter of ISIS. In a chat he asked how to make a bomb and for videos with instructions. These chats were found on a tablet that was found with B.
According to Andre Seebregts, B.'s lawyer, the accused's statements on the internet were boasts. "They were thoughts and playing with identities. And that is not illegal", said the lawyer. "The only concrete indication that he was planning to carry out an attack is the AIVD information. That we can not check." Seebregts denies that B. is an extremist Muslim. "According to his family and his Surinamese ex-girlfriend B smoked and drank a beer every now and then"
B. believes that he was arrested because he is Muslim.