Two minors arrested after second explosion at Amsterdam daycare center
A late-night explosion targeted a daycare center on the Bos en Lommerweg in Amsterdam-West during the early hours of Wednesday. Shortly after the detonation, police units swept the immediate vicinity. They arrested two underage boys who were still near the crime scene.
This explosion is part of a series of severe violent incidents plaguing the same stretch of the Bos en Lommerweg over the last few weeks. This exact same daycare building was already targeted by another explosive device just days prior, on Saturday at approximately 4 p.m.
The blast occurred around 4:00 AM. Neighbors reported being jolted awake by a very loud detonation. No injuries were reported, as the facility was empty at the time. The building sustained minor exterior structural damage from the force of the blast.
Both minor suspects have been placed under complete restrictions. By law, they are strictly prohibited from having any external contact except with their defense attorneys and their parents. Because of these legal protections, the Dutch National Police has withheld further personal identifying information, including their specific ages.
Throughout July 2026, a nearby residential property on the Bos en Lommerweg suffered a pipeline of attacks, including an initial explosion, a second blast, and a shooting.
Police investigations revealed those residential attacks were linked to an underworld dispute involving a local figure known as "Achie de Somaliër," according to AT5. However, the police publicly confirmed the innocent residents living at that specific address had zero ties to the criminal conflict and were targeted completely by mistake.
Due to the wave of neighborhood violence, Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema had just extended emergency camera surveillance along the Bos en Lommerweg area, De Westkrant reported.
A dedicated tactical investigation team has taken over the case. Detectives are aggressively reviewing camera footage and analyzing the forensic evidence to determine if the daycare bombings are connected to the broader neighborhood gang dispute.