Dutch Police Arrest Seven over Plot to Attack Large Event

Dutch police have arrested seven men suspected of plotting a large attack with hand grenades, automatic weapons and explosives belts, according to prosecutors.

Three of the seven suspects had previously been detained after trying to join foreign militants abroad. The lead suspect was a 34-year-old Iraqi who was convicted in 2017 for travelling abroad to join Islamic State insurgents.

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“The suspects were in search of AK47s, handguns, hand grenades, explosive vests and raw materials for several bombs,” prosecutors said in a statement. They will be brought before a judge on Friday.

The intelligence service initially tipped off police that the main suspect was targeting “a large event in the Netherlands where there would be a lot of victims”.

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