Netherlands Nabs 12 Somalis on Terrorism Charges

Dutch police officers arrested on Christmas Eve 12 suspected terrorists for plotting a terrorist attack in the Netherlands.

The 12 suspects, who are Somali and aged between 19 and 50, were arrested late on Friday after a message was received from the Dutch intelligence and security service, Dutch prosecutor said in a statement, as cited by The Examiner.

A retail shop and four houses in Rotterdam were searched by counterterrorism teams including forensic specialists, as well as two motel rooms in the village of Gilze-Rijen.

During the searches, police commanders stated they found no weapons, explosives or incendiary devices. Six suspects resided in Rotterdam, while five of the suspected terrorists did not appear to have a home address. One of the men arrested is believed to be a resident of Denmark, police reported.

Counterterrorism experts in the Netherlands believe the suspects are linked to the Somali terrorist organization Al Shabaab, a group affiliated with al-Qaeda.

The Dutch arrests follow an Islamic terrorist case in which British police detectives last Monday (December 20) captured 12 suspected terrorists as a result of Interpol warnings regarding possible Christmas bomb attacks in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other European nations, The Examiner points out.