The three terror suspects intended to target the partying masses in the New Year's party on the Rotterdam Erasmus bridge, according to well-informed sources involved in the investigation.
The two Moroccans and the Sudanese who were arrested Monday in three residences in Rotterdam West by heavily armed teams of the Special Intervention Unit - just hours before the partying started in the city center - had been followed for weeks by the secret service AIVD and the Rotterdam police.
Just in the past few days it appeared from their internet communications what the Muslim extremists had in mind: a massacre at the crowded hours-long New Year's Party around the Erasmus bridge.
Through the resolute intervention a catastrophe of unknown proportion has apparently been prevented. About 15,000 people attended the party, a mass of people packed together, that was impossible to secure. Special measures had been taken that evening, though, and the visitors were not allowed to step onto the bridge.
The Two Moroccans also have Dutch nationality. The Sudanese had been living illegally in the Netherlands for some time, but had not been sent there specially for an attack.
The Public Prosecution announced Wednesday that the three suspects would be brought before an examining magistrate, who'll decide whether they'll be held for longer.
Just as in Belgium, in the past few weeks informants and infiltrators got "vague signs" that a terror attack was planned around the New Year's. It is unclear whether there's any connection to the planned attack in Brussels [ed. which was apparently an attempt to check out Brussels Metro security]
Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)
See also: Netherlands: Possible attack foiled, Brussels: Terror attack planned
Update:
The three men will continue to be held for two more weeks.
It is yet unclear what target they wanted to attack. According to the prosecution this was not of concern to the issue of whether they had been preparing to commit a crime.
Additionally, they said the suggestion by De Telegraaf that the attack was planned against the New Year's party in Rotterdam was pulled out from thin air.
Source: AD (Dutch)
Update 2:
The three men have been moved to Amsterdam immediately after their arrest, due to the tightened security measures around them. The three are not allowed contact with the outside world.
Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)
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