US embassy cable - 05THEHAGUE2793

C O N F I D E N T I A L THE HAGUE 002793 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/UBI, S/CT, D/HS, INL 
DOJ FOR OIA - JUDI FRIEDMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PINR, PINS, PGOV, PREL, NL, KPRP 
SUBJECT: DUTCH ARREST SEVEN IN COUNTER-TERRORISM RAIDS 
 
Classified By: Andrew J. Schofer, Acting DCM, for Reasons 1.4(b) and (d 
) 
 
1. (C) SUMMARY: In the largest single counter-terrorism 
action in the Netherlands since the 9/11 attacks, a newly 
formed rapid intervention team arrested six men and one woman 
in The Hague, Amsterdam and Almere on October 14.  Among 
those arrested were Jermaine Walters, the brother of 
(American) Hofstad suspect Jason Walters, and Samir Azzouz, a 
Dutch teenager or Moroccan origin acquitted in April of 
plotting attacks on Amsterdam airport, a nuclear reactor and 
Dutch governmental buildings.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) The public prosecutors office confirmed that the 
sweeps netted seven suspects, including four in The Hague, 
two in Amsterdam, and one in Almere.  News of the arrests is 
dominating local media.  A press spokesperson at the 
prosecutors' office confirmed to us the arrest of Jermaine 
Walters, but stressed the prosecutors' office would not 
confirm that information publicly.  The spokesperson told 
Emboff that the seven will appear in a Rotterdam court on 
October 17 on charges of terrorist activities, including 
planning terrorist attacks on politicians and the offices of 
the Dutch intelligence service (AIVD) in Leidschendam.  No 
weapons have yet been discovered, according to the spokesman, 
but investigations and house searches continue. 
 
3.  (C) The Office of the Counter-Terrorism Coordinator 
(NCTb) ordered security tightened today around a number of 
politicians, Parliament, AIVD offices, and both the Justice 
and Interior Ministries.  AIVD information indicating that 
Azzouz was seeking automatic weapons and explosives to carry 
out attacks on politicians and Dutch government buildings, 
reported by the press and public prosecutors' office, 
prompted the move.  NCTb officials would not comment on which 
politicians received additional protection.  Although Dutch 
intelligence reports indicated that only the AIVD building 
was targeted specifically, the NCTb bolstered security at the 
other sites as a precaution, according to the spokesperson at 
the prosecutors office.  A senior NCTb official, Ewald Riks, 
told us the security would likely stay in place a few days 
until the threat had been removed. 
 
4.  (C) There was some disagreement over the impact of the 
arrests on the Hofstad group.  National Counter-Terrorism 
Coordinator Tjibbe Joustra told Charge that today's arrests, 
combined with the previous arrests of some 10 suspected 
Hofstad members currently on trial for their membership in 
this alleged terrorist organization, meant that a substantial 
part of the group was now in custody.  He added, however, 
that "of course you never know if you have them all; it is a 
very loose network."  Interior Minister Remkes separately 
told reporters that "the threat has not disappeared but the 
immediate threat has been removed," adding that despite 
earlier arrests, the Hofstad group is growing in size. 
 
5.  (C) According to NCTb's Riks, no shots were fired and no 
injuries were sustained in the raids, conducted by the rapid 
intervention team.  This was the first major use of the 
combined military and police team, designed specifically for 
counter-terrorism actions.  The team was recently empowered 
with arrest authority. 
 
6.  (C) The GONL has no plans to raise either the national 
threat level in the Netherlands, currently considered 
"substantial," or the state of alert for any of the seven 
critical infrastructure sectors included in the Netherlands' 
new counter-terrorism alert system. 
 
7.  (C) The GONL told us there are no known direct threats 
towards U.S. interests at this time.  The Embassy and 
Consulate are already in a heightened state of alert and will 
maintain their current security posture.  All Mission 
personnel have been reminded to remain vigilant and report 
any suspicious activities to the local authorities and the 
RSO.  Post is prepared to initiate appropriate steps should 
the local threat environment change. 
 
BLAKEMAN