Netherlands terrorist threat level remains high after London attack

The terrorism threat level in the Netherlands remains high at level 4 out of 5 after a terrorist attack in London on Sunday, National Coordinator Dick Schoof of Counterterrorism and Security said on Sunday. Seven people were killed and 48 others injured when three perpetrators crashed a delivery van into pedestrians on London Bridge and then got out and stabbed people on the street and in nearby pubs at around 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, NU.nl reports

Schoof said that he is following the situation in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands very carefully. There were consultations between the Coordinator, the police, intelligence agencies, Public Prosecutor, municipalities and the Ministries of Social Affairs and Foreign Affairs following the attack. "We went through the threat and measures again. The Netherlands is taking all measures appropriate to this high threat level. We are continuously checking that the security measures are still sufficient."

The threat level is currently at level four, 'substantial', which means that there is a real chance of an attack taking place in the Netherlands, but no substantive proof that one is being planned. "Many visible and invisible measures have already been taken. And there are currently no concrete indications of a terrorist attack in the Netherlands. Therefore there is as yet no reason to increase the already high threat level", Schoof said, according to the newspaper. 

The three perpetrators were gunned down and killed by police minutes after they started the attack, bringing the number of fatalities up to 10. The London police raided several addresses in the neighborhoods of Newham and Barking on Sunday and Monday. At least 12 arrests were made, of which one suspect was released a short time later, according to NOS. 

This is the third terrorist attack in Great Britain this year. Two weeks ago 22 people were killed in a suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. And in March three were killed when a van drove into the public in London late in March.

According to British Prime Minister Theresa May, there are no indications that these three attacks were directly linked, she said in a speech on Sunday. But there are signs of copying behavior. "Terrorism breeds terrorism." she said. "It is time to say enough is enough. When it comes to taking on extremism and terrorism things need to change."