Minors arrested for explosion in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, in possession of hand grenade

Three suspects who may have been involved in an explosion in Amsterdam in June have been arrested in recent weeks, the police reported on Saturday. One of the detainees, a 22-year-old man, has since been released. The other two, boys aged 15 and 16, are still in custody.

The explosion occurred on Friday evening, June 21, in a house in the Schuitenhuisstraat in Amsterdam Nieuw-West. No one was injured, but the house was damaged. The police immediately started an investigation that led to the arrest of the three suspects.

The 16-year-old suspect had already been arrested on June 30. According to the police, he had a hand grenade. An examination of his phone revealed that the explosive was “most likely” intended for the house in the Schuitenhuisstraat, according to the police.

The 15-year-old suspect was arrested on July 22, as was the 22-year-old, who was sent off after being questioned. It is unclear whether the 20-year-old is still considered a suspect in the explosion. In any case, the minor is suspected of being involved in the explosion and was brought before the magistrate last Thursday, police said.

The number of explosions in residential and commercial premises has increased rapidly in the Netherlands for years. Urban areas such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam are particularly affected by explosions. In 2023 alone, there were over 1000 explosions, corresponding to an increase of around 200 percent compared to 2022. The attacks are mostly carried out by young people who are recruited by criminals to commit such attacks with heavy fireworks, NOS reports.