(THE HAGUE, Netherlands) — Dutch police have arrested seven men who are suspected of plotting a large-scale extremist attack in the Netherlands that prosecutors say they think has been foiled.
The national prosecutor’s office said in a statement Thursday that the men were arrested by heavily armed police in the towns of Arnhem and Weert.
The statement says the arrests capped a months-long investigation that was launched by intelligence suggesting the alleged ring leader, a 34-year-old man of Iraqi heritage, wanted to carry out a major extremist attack on a large event and cause multiple casualties.
Prosecutors say the suspects wanted to attack an event site using bomb vests and assault rifles, and planned to detonate a car bomb at another location.
They say an investigation of potential targets is continuing.
