International terrorist suspect arrested

Friday 14 March 2008

Police in Breda have arrested a 26-year-old Pakistani national on suspicion of involvement in an international terror network which was plotting attacks in Western Europe, the public prosecution department said on Friday.

The network, suspected of involvement in a foiled suicide attack in Barcelona, was preparing attacks in France, Portugal, Germany and England, the department said in a statement.

News agency ANP, quoting Spanish newspapers, says the attacks were planned against supporters of assassinated Pakistan politician Benazir Bhutto.

The Dutch investigation began in February following a secret service tip-off.

The man has been in the Netherlands since September 2007 and is officially registered as a student. The public prosecution department did not say what course or where he is supposed to be studying, other than that he is taking a four-year hbo college degree. It also said he spends a large amount of time as a house painter.

The man, who was not named, has been under observation since the beginning of the investigation and has been arrested as a precaution, the department said. There are no indications that he has been involved in planning an attack in the Netherlands.

He will appear in court in Rotterdam on Monday.

© DutchNews.nl

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