Summary Terrorist Threat Assessment Netherlands 12

In the run-up to DTN12, the possibility of an attack in the Netherlands (as identified in the previous two assessments) increased further. Thanks to the knowledge gained from a number of recent, thwarted attacks in Europe, there is more than ever reason to believe that Western Europe (and thus the Netherlands) is under threat of attack from Pakistan- or Afghanistan-based groups controlled or influenced by core Al Qaida. Since DTN10 there has
also been an increase in the unknown threat – that is to say: the threat posed by individuals and groups that have not yet or only recently come to the attention of the European intelligence and security services. These factors have magnified the conceivable threat (especially the international threat) to the Netherlands to such an extent that even though there are no specific indications of an attack, an increase in the threat level from Limited to
Substantial is justified. This will bring the threat level back to where it was during the period from DTN1 (May 2005) to DTN8 (April 2007).