Around 70 people in Netherlands branded “security threat”

The Dutch immigration ministry has labelled around 70 people a threat to national security in the past 10 years, revoking residency permits and, in the case of dual nationals, their passports.

The figures from IND were uncovered in an investigation by Nieuwsuur.

Most of those have been convicted of terrorism-related offences, the news programme found. Three of the men involved in planning an attack in Arnhem were among those given the designation.

Not everybody on the list is a terrorist. A Russian national who is suspected of stealing secrets from Dutch chip machinery makers ASML was also labelled a threat.

The justice ministry would not confirm how many people on the list were still in custody.

Dual nationals or foreigners who are classed as a threat to national security are deported and banned from re-entering the Netherlands. However, not everyone has actually left the country.

In May, the justice ministry acknowledge that it has not been possible to remove everyone. Many countries will not take their nationals back or revoke their travel documents.