New Rotterdam terror raid, no arrests

Dutch special police carried out a fresh raid overnight in Rotterdam following the weekend arrest of four terror suspects in the southern port city, prosecutors said Wednesday.

But no new arrests were made after a building was searched, and "no weapons or explosives were found," the prosecutor's office said in a message on its Twitter account.

The raid came after a 32-year-old Frenchman was arrested late Sunday in the Rotterdam-West district along with three other people, following a tip-off from French authorities.

The Dutch news agency ANP said people had been evacuated from nearby houses in the Kralingen district as a precaution during Wednesday's pre-dawn raid, and a bomb disposal squad had been on standby in case it was needed.

The Frenchman, identified only as Anis B., appeared Tuesday before an Amsterdam court and is fighting an extradition request from Paris.

Three others were also arrested on Sunday night all said to be of Algerian origin. Two men were aged 43 and 47, but no details have emerged of the third man.

The prosecutor's office said a decision was likely on Wednesday on how to proceed against the three.

Anis B. is wanted by France for "involvement in a criminal organisation linked to a terrorist enterprise," the prosecutor's office said.

He was arrested on Sunday at Paris' request, suspected of receiving orders from the Islamic State group to attack targets in France.

Heavily-armed police also found a stash of ammunition, SIM cards, hard drives, cash and drugs in Sunday's raids.

Dutch courts must now decide within 90 days whether to send the 32-year-old to France.

Dutch Justice Minister Ard van der Steur on Tuesday told parliament he expected Anis B. "to be extradited to France soon".
Source: AFP