A planned attack on a Dutch synagogue has been foiled by authorities as explosives were found near the building.
The incident, in the town of Heemstede in Western Netherlands, was reported by the European Jewish Congress (EJC) on Sunday and comes amid a wave of attacks on Jewish sites in the country.
The EJC wrote on X: "The discovery of explosive materials near a place of worship is extremely alarming and highlights the serious and ongoing threat facing Jewish communities. Preventing this attack likely averted potentially devastating consequences.
“This incident underscores the urgent need for heightened vigilance, strong intelligence cooperation and reinforced protection of Jewish sites. Authorities must ensure that those responsible are identified and that any wider networks behind these attempts are dismantled.”
The post continued: “Jewish communities must be able to live, gather, and pray in safety. Attempts to terrorise them will not succeed.”
Two teenagers were arrested in relation to the planned attack, according to Eretzy Israel.
Had it been successful, it would have been the fourth attack against a Jewish site in the Netherlands this month.
On March 14, a Jewish primary school in Amsterdam was the scene of one of these attacks as an explosion damaged part of a wall but no injuries were reported.
Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, described the incident at the time as “a deliberate attack against the Jewish community” and a “cowardly act of aggression”.
She said in a statement: “I understand the fear and anger of Jewish Amsterdammers. They are increasingly confronted with antisemitism, and that is unacceptable.”
Days later, a second explosion caused damage at an office building in the city, with investigators saying they were treating it as an antisemitic attack.
A new Iran-linked extremist group calling itself Ashab Al Yamin claimed responsibility, publishing a video on social media showing the explosion outside of the school, filmed by a person on a motorbike who quickly departs the scene.
The name of the group roughly translates to “The Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Righteous”.
The group also claimed responsibility for the arson attack on a synagogue in Rotterdam a day earlier.
That attack saw four teenagers arrested on suspicion of terror offences.
The suspects, whose names weren't released, are suspected of "causing an explosion, arson and attempted arson, all with a terrorist intent," the Rotterdam Public Prosecutor's office said in a statement.
No one was injured, and prosecutors reportedly believe the attack was "aimed at instilling serious fear in a population group, in this case the Jewish community”.
Ashab Al Yamin had not claimed responsibility for the attempted attack in Heemstede as of Monday afternoon.
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