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| Europe |
| Weapons find in The Hague linked to Muslim terror group |
| 2006-09-07 |
| AMSTERDAM — Detectives have found two guns in a communal cellar of a residential complex in The Hague. The Public Prosecutor's Office (OM) in The Hague suspects the weapons belong to a Muslim terror organisation allegedly headed by Samir A, a Dutchman of Moroccan descent. Police, attached to the anti-terrorist operation codenamed Piranha, arrested a 23-year-old woman who lives in one of the homes in the complex. Sources said the suspect is Soumaya S., the wife of Nouredine el F. He is serving a five-year sentence for possession of a submachine gun in Amsterdam in June 2005. S. was sentenced to nine months for illegal possession of a weapon. The guns in The Hague were found in plastic bags on Monday last week after the cellar was flooded in heavy rains. A company was hired to pump out the water and the weapons were discovered during the work. Handwritten documents in Arabic were also found in the bags. A. is currently in custody on suspicion of attempting to procure heavy firearms and planning terrorist attacks. He is also suspected of heading a Muslim terrorist cell and is said to have close ties to the Hofstad Network. However, A. has been cleared of terrorism charges by the Dutch courts on several occasions. He faces another court appearance on 16 October. Police said the plastic bags contained a Czech-made CZ Scorpion 61 submachine pistol, a Smith & Wesson handgun and two ammunition clips and 300 pointed bullets for the submachine gun. The Czech weapon, the police said, bears a "great similarity" to a gun shown in the background of a video testament made by A. This video, similar to recorded statements made by Muslim suicide bombers, was seized earlier in the investigation. Witnesses questioned as part of operation Piranha told detectives the terrorist network had a bag containing three firearms. Investigators believe El F. was caught with the third gun. Mohammed Bouyeri, the man jailed for life for murdering film director Theo van Gogh, was a leading member of the Hofstad Network. A. has not been prosecuted for membership of that group. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #7 Handwritten documents in Arabic were also found in the bags. Always a dead give away. However, A. has been cleared of terrorism charges by the Dutch courts on several occasions. I wonder if they'll learn this time? |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-09-07 21:00 |
| #6 nice jab, b |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-09-07 20:48 |
| #5 Ownership is certainly a mystery, but I suppose we take take Theo van Gogh's name off the list of possibles now can't we. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-09-07 20:26 |
| #4 But this isn't possible! It's against the law for Europeans to have personal guns, so nobody over there has a gun. Except maybe for criminals who don't care about the laws. Oh, wait.... |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-09-07 19:47 |
| #3 What the heck are pointed bullets? Armor piercing? |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2006-09-07 10:06 |
| #2 Must be them Amish or Swedish Lutherans. Can't be muzzies. No, no. Must not anger your future overlords. |
| Posted by: Elmeamp Hupaque9699 2006-09-07 09:44 |
| #1 Gee, what a strange coincidence. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-09-07 08:35 |