Police arrest two Rotterdam men in Alblasserdam bomb plot attempts
Two Rotterdam men, ages 18 and 20, have been arrested for their suspected involvement in two attempts to detonate an explosive device near a home in Alblasserdam earlier this month, police said Saturday. A firearm was also found on the younger suspect during his arrest.
The arrests come after three other suspects, including a 29-year-old man from Dordrecht and two boys, ages 15 and 16, from Zwijndrecht and Rotterdam, were detained in connection with the incidents.
In the early hours of December 8, a resident of Frederik Hendrikstraat in Alblasserdam noticed a firework bomb placed near her house. The resident managed to scare off the suspect before the homemade explosive went off. Later that night, witnesses saw a car with three occupants who had fireworks and materials used to make explosives inside. They alerted the police, leading to the arrest of the trio.
The following day, two more suspects were arrested on December 13 for allegedly playing a leading role in the incidents. According to police, the 18-year-old was found in possession of a firearm, which was confiscated. Authorities have not ruled out that additional people could be involved.
Police are also seeking further witnesses and have urged anyone with information or video footage, including from doorbell cameras, to come forward. Tips can be provided anonymously via the Dutch Crime Stoppers hotline at 0800-7000.
