The young man arrested in The Hague on Wednesday after witnesses said he had shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ and was acting suspiciously has been released by police without charge.

A special anti-terrorist unit picked up the man after he was spotted with a gas bottle in a parked car on the Telexstraat. He was first talked out of his car and then, wearing only what appeared to be shorts or underpants, was arrested by heavily armed police.

A police helicopter was brought in to monitor the situation and a nearby petrol station and other buildings were evacuated while the man’s car was searched.

Later it transpired the gas bottle contain laughing gas and there were several balloons on the seat beside the man. He is 22 and comes from Zoetermeer.

The Hague’s mayor Pauline Krikke praised the police action. ‘This incident will, of course, have had a major impact on the people who saw it… and I can well imagine they are shocked.’

She said the arrest team had been at the location within minutes of being alerted and that she had been kept in continual touch about what was going on.