Amsterdam assassination plot tied to major arsenal find

The eight men who were arrested in July after the discovery of an "unprecedented amount" of firearms and other weapons in Nieuwegein, were planning to commit a number of underground related assassinations. This was revealed in the first trial against the eight suspects on Tuesday, AD reports. The Public Prosecutor believes that the weapons and stolen vehicles found with the men, would have been used to assassinate criminals on the order of other criminals. Late last month the Public Prosecutor released photographs of five men that is believed to be the targets of assassination plots. The photos of these "to be assassinated" people were found on memory cars of the suspects' phones and cameras. According to the Public Prosecutor, the suspects shadowed these people for months, apparently with the intent to eventually assassinate them. Four of the five potential victims has since been identified. Most of them acknowledge that it is them in the photos, but say they have no idea why they would be a target. "But I would say the same if I was involved in the criminal environment", the Prosecutor said. The investigation into this case is still far from over, it will take at least another six months. But the Prosecutor's initial findings were enough for the court in Amsterdam to remand the suspects into custody for the time being. The police hope to arrest more suspects in the coming weeks. The case should be ready for trial sometime in the spring of 2016, according to the newspaper.