The Hague: Europe and the Arabs

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has stated that it suspects four teenagers arrested after setting fire to a synagogue in Rotterdam of committing a terrorist act. A fuel container found at the scene suggests they intended to repeat the attack on another synagogue.

The suspects appeared before an investigating judge on Monday, who ordered them to be held in pretrial detention for at least two weeks. The PPS suspects them of involvement in an explosion, arson, and attempted arson, all with terrorist intent.

"This means that these acts were intended to instill extreme fear in a segment of the population, in this case, the Jewish community," the PPS stated in a press release, according to the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant. The PPS also announced that the police likely thwarted a second attack thanks to the swift arrest of the suspects. Following the incident, police immediately began monitoring other synagogues in the area. The suspects were in a car near one of these synagogues when they were apprehended, and one of them matched the descriptions provided. According to the public prosecutor's office, a fuel container was found in the car.

On Thursday night into Friday morning, around 3:40 a.m., a fire broke out at the entrance of a synagogue in A.B.N. Davidsplein Square in the Blijdorp district of Rotterdam. According to the police, the fire was caused by an explosive device. That same night, police arrested four teenagers: two aged 19, one aged 18, and one aged 17, all from Tilburg.

Possible connection
Police have assigned a large team of investigators to the case. As part of the investigation, four house searches were carried out in Tilburg on Friday. The investigation is also examining whether there is a link between these incidents and similar attacks that occurred last week in Amsterdam and Liège. A group calling itself "Right-Wingers" has claimed responsibility for all the explosions, but it is unclear whether the same group is responsible for each one.

A day after the Rotterdam fire, an explosive device detonated at a Jewish school in Amsterdam's Buitenveldert district. On Sunday night, an explosion occurred at a branch of Bank of New York Mellon in Amsterdam's Zuiddas district. Earlier last week, another explosion took place at a synagogue in the Belgian city of Liège. No one was injured in either explosion.

An explosion occurred at an office complex in Amsterdam's Zuiddas district on Sunday night. A fire broke out after the explosion, which was extinguished by security forces. A group calling itself "Ashab-ul-Yamin" claimed responsibility for the explosion.

This is evident from a video posted on Telegram channels affiliated with Iran. A group bearing this name claimed responsibility for three attacks targeting Jewish buildings in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Liège last week. However, it remains unclear whether these attacks were carried out by the same group. The video of the Zuiddas incident, verified by the newspaper De Volkskrant, shows a different logo and format than the videos released for the three previous attacks. Police said they had seen the video circulating on social media and were investigating whether there was a link to the previous explosions.

Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema

On Friday night, an explosive device was planted at a Jewish school in Amsterdam. In response over the weekend, Mayor Halsema stated that she considered the attack on the school a targeted attack against the Jewish community.

"This is a cowardly and aggressive act against the Jewish community," Halsema said. "I understand the fears and anger of the Jewish community in Amsterdam. They are facing increasing antisemitism, and this is unacceptable. The school should be a place where children can learn safely. Amsterdam should be a place where Jews can live safely."

Last week, an explosive device was planted at a synagogue in Rotterdam, causing a fire. In that case, police arrested four suspects.