Dutch police are investigating an explosion that caused damage to an office building in Amsterdam, an incident claimed by an extremist organisation. The group in question previously took responsibility for a recent blast at a Jewish school in the area, prompting officers to examine potential links between the two events.
The explosion resulted in a small fire, which was swiftly put out by security guards, according to a police spokesperson. While the investigation is ongoing, it remains unclear whether the damaged building has any connection to Amsterdam’s Jewish community. Sienna Investment Managers, responsible for the property, has not yet provided a comment on the incident.
Saturday’s explosion, for which the same group claimed responsibility, caused minor damage to a Jewish school. Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten condemned the attack.
The group has also claimed earlier attacks on synagogues in Rotterdam and in neighbouring Belgium’s Liege. The attacks had already triggered heightened security at Jewish sites in Amsterdam.
Justice Minister David van Weel said on Saturday that a link between the explosions in Amsterdam and Rotterdam could not be excluded, but did not confirm any claims made on social media by the group.
In a separate case on Sunday two young men were placed under formal investigation in France for planning a “deadly and antisemitic” attack, the counterterrorism prosecutor’s office (PNAT) said in a statement.
The suspects, a 22-year-old engineering student and an unemployed 20-year-old who are brothers, were arrested last Tuesday after police found a semi-automatic firearm, a bottle of acid and an ISIS flag in their car during a roadside police stop near a prison in northern France, PNAT said. It gave no details about the nature of the planned attack or its target.
The two are being investigated on charges of criminal terrorist conspiracy and possessing a weapon in connection with a terrorist undertaking, and have been placed in pre-trial detention. The PNAT did not release the suspects’ full identities.
Concerns about possible attacks against Jewish communities around the world have risen following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and a subsequent response from Tehran.
Concerns about possible attacks against Jewish communities around the world have risen following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and the subsequent response from Tehran.