Syrian asylum seeker arrested in the Netherlands on terrorism plot charges

A 33-year-old man seeking asylum in the Netherlands was taken into custody by Dutch authorities on allegations he was plotting a terrorist attack. The Syrian man was arrested in Dronten, Flevoland on Nov. 28 at the facility for asylum seekers where he was residing, the Public Prosecution Service (OM) said on Wednesday.

"Information from the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) revealed that the suspect embraces jihadist ideology, and was searching for a firearm to carry out an attack. A specific target had not yet been identified," the OM stated.

He was brought before a district court for an arraignment hearing on Wednesday on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. Judges remanded him to pre-trial detention for 90 days, which can be extended at his next court appearance. He has been in restricted custody since his arrest, and is only allowed contact with an attorney.

The Syrian man moved into the asylum center in Dronten over the summer. The facility has space for up to a thousand people, including unaccompanied minors, and offers integration support, recreational activities, and fitness equipment.

The OM did not state the reason the arrest was not previously disclosed. It was not immediately clear if prosecutors were also under a gag order when the suspect was initially placed in restricted custody. National divisons from the police and prosecution are responsible for the investigation.

At the end of September, two men were injured in an early morning stabbing near the asylum center, and both were arrested for violent crimes. The men were identified as a 19-year-old and a 26-year-old from the Flevoland town.