D66 office explosion suspect held for another 14 days on suspicion of terrorism

The suspect in an explosion at the D66 party office in The Hague, a 37-year-old man with no fixed address, was brought before the examining magistrate on Monday. He has been remanded into custody for 14 days pending arraignment at a district court.

The Public Prosecution Office (OM) said it is pressing a charge of causing an explosion with terrorist intent. “An explosion targeting the headquarters of a political party instills fear in a segment of the population,” prosecutors wrote in a statement. “For this reason, the suspicion of a terrorist motive has been charged.”

On Thursday evening, May 7, an explosion occurred at the D66 party office on Lange Houtstraat in The Hague. Using camera footage, the police tracked the suspect and arrested him. There were approximately 30 people at the office, but no injuries were reported.

At the time, the D66 leader, Prime Minister Rob Jetten, said the bombing at his own party's headquarters was "a cowardly act of intimidation."

The Hague Mayor Jan van Zanen said, “In a democracy, you differ in opinion with words,” he said on social media. “Violence directed at political parties is always unacceptable.”

“What possesses you to do this? We do not tolerate threatening and intimidating a political party,” Minister David van Weel of Justice and Security (VVD) wrote on X.

“Ugh,” responded VVD Defense Minister Dilan Yeşilgoz on X. “How could you even think of doing that! What a cowardly act. Threatening and intimidating a political party (or anyone else) is absolutely unacceptable.”