Arrest of minors on charges of false threats of bombs in schools and a refugee center in Groningen and Drenthe
Dutch police arrested minors on Thursday after a series of false bomb threats targeted schools and a shelter for asylum seekers in the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe in the north of the country.
The threats were received via phone within just one hour, raising concerns in five schools and one asylum center. The affected locations included three schools in Hoogezand, one school in the city of Groningen, one school in Emmen, and a site belonging to COA opvanglocatie (asylum seeker reception center) in Eelde.
As a precautionary measure, schools in Hoogezand and Emmen were temporarily evacuated while the police conducted thorough inspections inside the buildings. After confirming that there were no explosives, students and staff were allowed to return and resume classes later the same day.
The authorities indicated that all six threats were identical in wording and content. Accordingly, it was decided not to evacuate the other sites, as the relevant authorities deemed that the level of risk did not warrant further action.
The police confirmed that the detained minors are currently being interrogated, without revealing their identities due to their young age. A police spokesperson explained that the investigation is still ongoing, noting that the possibility of additional arrests remains.