Hague city councilor Van Doorn night in jail for preparing a crime against Mark Rutte Inland

He would have been arrested after he behaved conspicuously in the vicinity of the outgoing Prime Minister, the Public Prosecution Service in The Hague confirmed. This happened in a neighborhood in The Hague where Rutte was walking around under security at the time. “He would have tried to provide information for committing the serious crime,” said a spokesman for the Public Prosecution Service. His behavior was then reason enough to ring alarm bells with the security guards.

Monday released

The Royal and Diplomatic Security Service arrested Van Doorn and handed him over to the police. The local politician was subsequently released on Monday. The Public Prosecution Service says it may be able to complete the investigation on Tuesday. It will then also become known whether Van Doorn is still suspicious in this case or not.

This case is separate from the tightened security surrounding Mark Rutte due to extreme threats that De Telegraaf reported on Monday.

Arnoud van Doorn’s lawyer, Mr. Anis Boumanjal, says in a statement that his client was in the same neighborhood as the prime minister for a specific reason. “His mother lives there and he comes there every now and then. Furthermore, my client saw a remarkable BMW parked in the same neighborhood. Because of that particularity, he paid more attention than usual to that car, but then he continued on his way.”

Van Doorn would only have understood during the interrogation that Rutte was also there. According to Boumanjal, there were no further details that day. “Van Doorn is not known for being violent or dangerous with firearms. There were insufficient facts and circumstances to proceed with the arrest. It has everything to say that the DKDB, gripped by suspicion and fear, has gone into a frenzy and made a premature arrest.”

Rutte’s spokesperson does not make any statements about the safety and security of the outgoing prime minister.

The 55-year-old Van Doorn had to appear in court in The Hague two weeks ago for inciting violence after sending anti-Semitic tweets. On Tuesday afternoon it was announced that he had been sentenced to 120 hours of community service in this case.

Converted to Islam

The councilor converted to Islam in 2013. He was previously a councilor for the PVV. After breaking with this party, he went on independently to join the Unity Party after his conversion. In 2013, he was also arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential documents to a journalist. He was also discredited for selling weed to young people. This earned him community service.

Van Doorn announced after the elections, in which his party did not win a national seat, that he would leave politics after the municipal elections and emigrate to Morocco.

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