Five radicalization investigations at Defense last year

Last year there were five investigations within the Dutch Armed Forces into possible radicalization of employees, ANP reports based on documents received from Defense at the news wire's request. Three of the investigations concluded that the involved employees were not radicalized. The other two are still ongoing.

The investigations were launched after reports about jihadist and left-wing extremist thoughts from the five employees. Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert did not want to comment, because she did not want to "hinder the investigation into possible radicalization within Defense", according to RTL Nieuws.

The Ministry of Defense implemented measures to identify radicalization within its organization more quickly, following Air Force Sergeant Ahmed M. joining ISIS in Syria in 2015. He was stationed at the Gilze-Rijen air base and had access to system information for Apache combat helicopters.

Signs of extremism are sent to the Contra-terrorism, Extremism and Radicalization Info Cell (CTER). In this info cell, the Koninklijke Marechaussee shares information with the other authorities - like the military intelligence service MIVD and the police. The cell focuses on investigating Defense employees suspected of radicalism.