Terror suspect acquitted of Amsterdam attack plan; Prosecutor to appeal

Terror suspect Mohamed B. was acquitted of preparing for a terrorist attack in the Netherlands by the court in Rotterdam on Tuesday. According to the judge, B. had no intention of actually carrying out an attack, NRC reports.

B. was released from prison late last month, but had until today to hear the verdict against him. The Public Prosecutor had demanded four years in prison against B. and will now appeal against the court's ruling. The Prosecutor believes that B. is indeed a terrorist. According to B.'s lawyer, Andre Seebregts, his client is simply a dreamer trying to impress women.

B. was arrested in October last year after a tip from the general intelligence and security service AIVD. His online history showed that he had searched for instructions on how to make a bomb and in online chats he stated that he wanted to go to Syria. He also had a manual on how to build explosives in his possession when he was arrested.

The suspect himself claims that this is all a misunderstanding. He stated that he is not a terrorist and only acted tough to impress people online and hopefully charm a few women. During the trial experts also stated that B. had the tendency to get lost in a fantasy world.