Syrian man arrested in Leiden on terrorist charges over Clubhouse app broadcasts
A Leiden man being held in police custody was accused of being an Islamic State (IS) supporter based on commentary broadcast on social media app Clubhouse, and his alleged participation in groups praising the terrorist organization. The 28-year-old was arrested on Tuesday, and was remanded to jail during an initial hearing on Thursday, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) announced.
The suspect "was born in Syria and has been living in the Netherlands for some time," the OM stated. His arrest followed an investigation into his work as a moderator on Clubhouse. The app is similar to a cross between conference calling and telephone party lines where participants can hop between different channels to listen in and discuss a range of topics.
The case started after domestic intelligence service AIVD provided information to the national office of the OM. A national police unit took the Leiden resident into custody this week.
An investigation will be carried out to determine the contents of several devices seized during the arrest. The items include laptops and mobile phones, the OM said.
The Syrian-born man appeared before an examining magistrate on Thursday. He was ordered to remain in jail for two weeks, the maximum allowed, while the case remains under investigation.
A three-judge panel at a district court can then review the initial case file during an arraignment hearing, when the suspect can be ordered to stay in pre-trial detention at a prison for up to 90 days. The first public hearing into his case would then be held, at which point the judges can decide whether to extend the detention period.
