Man, 39, arrested after bomb threat at Dutch air base, no explosive found
A 39-year-old man was arrested at Leeuwarden air base after telling security he had a bomb; a bag he left behind was declared safe.
Update ·
The man arrested is 39 years old, according to Polish media reports citing Dutch authorities.
Also in:Nederlands
A 39-year-old man was arrested at Leeuwarden air base in the Netherlands on Wednesday after telling security guards he was carrying a bomb, a spokesperson for the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee said. A bag he left behind contained no explosive, the military police force said later in the day.
The man approached the base's main gate at around 12.15pm local time and told security he had a bomb, RTL Nieuws reported. He then put a bag on the ground and took out items that appeared as though they could be part of an explosive device, according to RTL Nieuws and HLN.
Security staff treated the report seriously and alerted the Marechaussee, arresting the man at around 3.30pm, RTL Nieuws reported. Part of the area around the main gate was sealed off and evacuated while the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service examined the bag.
The disposal service's examination lasted until around 4pm, after which it declared the bag safe, RTL Nieuws reported. What exactly was inside it has not been made public. Leeuwarden is a Dutch air base that hosts F-35 fighter jets and unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drones, according to NOS and HLN.
A separate suspicious package was found the same morning at the building of the Militaire Post Organisatie, which handles mail for Dutch military personnel stationed abroad, near the railway station in Bunnik, NOS reported. The building was evacuated at around 11am after the package was flagged as suspicious.
Specialists examined the Bunnik package and found no explosive inside, regional broadcaster RTV Utrecht reported. The package was declared safe and military personnel were able to return to the building. It is not yet clear whether the two incidents are connected, NOS reported.
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What we know
- Official · Royal Netherlands Marechaussee A 39-year-old man was arrested at Leeuwarden air base after telling security he had a bomb, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee said.
- 2+ outlets · De Telegraaf, RTL Nieuws +4 A bag he left behind was examined by the Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service and declared safe; no explosive was found.
- 2+ outlets · De Telegraaf, RTL Nieuws +2 The area around the base's main gate was sealed off and evacuated during the examination.
- 1 outlet · Interia Fakty A separate suspicious package found the same morning at a military mail building in Bunnik also contained no explosive.
Not yet confirmed
- Unconfirmed Whether the Leeuwarden and Bunnik incidents are connected, NOS reported.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
Leeuwarden is one of the Netherlands' active air bases, hosting F-35 fighter jets and unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drones, according to NOS and HLN, making any bomb threat there a matter for national as well as local security. The same-day package scare at a military mail facility in Bunnik, though so far unconnected, shows how quickly Dutch military sites went on alert to check reports of possible explosives on a single day.
Updates
·
The man arrested is 39 years old, according to Polish media reports citing Dutch authorities.
First published.
Sources
Reported by 7 reports from 7 independent outlets in 3 countries.
- De Telegraaf: Bommelding bij vliegbasis Leeuwarden: verdachte aangehouden
- RTL Nieuws: Bommelding bij vliegbasis Leeuwarden, man aangehouden
- NOS: Man aangehouden na bommelding en verdacht pakketje bij vliegbasis Leeuwarden
- HLN: Geen explosief gevonden na bommelding bij Nederlandse vliegbasis in Leeuwarden
- NU.nl: Video | Veel beveiliging op de been na bommelding bij Vliegbasis Leeuwarden
Source balance
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Intelligence file
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Confidence and impact scores, 3 more sources, the full situation report and the event timeline.
Questions and answers
- Who was arrested at Leeuwarden air base?
- A 39-year-old man was arrested after telling security guards he had a bomb, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee said.
- Was an explosive found?
- No. The Defence Explosive Ordnance Disposal Service examined a bag the man left behind and declared it safe.
- What is Leeuwarden air base used for?
- It is a Dutch air base hosting F-35 fighter jets and unmanned MQ-9 Reaper drones, according to NOS and HLN.
This article was written with AI assistance from 8 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.