Explosion at Polish supermarket in Lelystad

There was an explosion at a Polish supermarket in Lelystad in the overnight period between Sunday and Monday. Around 3:30 a.m. a loud bang was heard at a building on the Snijdershof in Lelystad. The explosion caused "the front door of the building to pop out", a police spokeswoman said. The cause and further damage are being investigated. No one was arrested yet.

An unknown object was detonated near the building, which caused the loud blast. The police suspect that several perpetrators are involved. The suspects entered the supermarket after forcing the door. It is unclear whether anything was taken. The suspects then fled on foot in an unknown direction.

Polish supermarkets were the target of several attacks using improvised explosive devices. A link between a previous series of attacks and the most recent explosion in Lelystad was not yet established by the police on Monday morning.

In December last year and in January there were violent explosions at Polish supermarkets in Aalsmeer, Heeswijk-Dinther, Tilburg and twice in Beverwijk. These caused a great deal of damage and danger to the environment. So far the police have five suspects in mind, and four of them are in custody. The fifth is said to have fled abroad when his pre-trial detention was lifted. 

On Monday, a preliminary hearing is scheduled regarding one of the suspects. The 26-year-old man from Amsterdam is suspected of, among other things, having arranged a driver for the attacks in Beverwijk and Heeswijk-Dinther. The other suspects are 26-year-old Antonio N.  from Amsterdam, a possible driver, 20-year-old Hyron A. from Amsterdam, who allegedly placed explosives in Beverwijk and Tilburg, and a 19-year-old man from Amstevleen. He was arrested after the Beverwijk explosion at the end of June.