(Den Haag) Holland has raised its terror threat level, saying that Islamic Dutch citizens who have fought in Syria are returning radicalised and imbued with Islamist fervor. The authorities there have put the level up from "limited" to "substantial" - the second highest category. National Co-ordinator for Security and Counter-terrorism Dick Shoof gave a statement where he said:
"These jihadist travellers can return to the Netherlands highly radicalised, traumatised and with a strong desire to commit violence, thus posing a significant threat to this country."It transpires that nearly 100 people had travelled from the Netherlands to Africa and the Middle East to fight in conflicts more than any other country from Europe as a whole. It is the first time since 2009 that the terror threat in the Netherlands has been raised to "substantial", the second-highest on the four-step scale, just below "critical."
