Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: In 2011, the government published the
first comprehensive assessment of Dutch counterterrorist measures over the past decade. The
study, which had been commissioned to the Nijmegen Radboud University, concluded that post-
9/11 Dutch counterterrorism policy was solid and reliable and the measures taken were not
contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Dutch police were reorganized into a new national police service, scheduled to become
operational in 2013. The multi-year, country-wide reorganization effort is expected to improve
investigation and public order capabilities.
The Netherlands continued to improve its border security. Cameras were installed at the border,
primarily focused on illegal immigration and organized crime, and the government established
an interagency coordination center to share this information and provide for a more effective and
efficient response. Dutch ports of entry have biographic and biometric screening capabilities.
The Netherlands remained strongly committed to effective cooperation with the United States on
border security. The Port of Rotterdam was the first European port to participate in the Container
Security Initiative. The Netherlands had high-level discussions with the United States through
the annual Agreed Steps program, and exchanged information on security measures for airports,
ports, and critical infrastructure. In addition, agreements have been made on dealing with forged
documents. In February, the Netherlands signed a Letter of Intent with the United States on
cyber-security cooperation and in November, the Netherlands and the United States signed an
agreement on cooperation in science and technology concerning homeland and civil security
matters.
Significant law enforcement actions included:
On July 3, the Dutch Supreme Court directed the re-trial of two members of the Hofstad
Group, an identified terrorist organization, due to insufficient evidence. In 2010, both
men were sentenced to 15 months in prison.
On September 20, Samir Azzouz was arrested in prison for attempting to recruit fellow
inmates and planning an attack. He was imprisoned in 2008, and was serving a nine-year
sentence for a terrorist plot.
On October 18, Mahamud Said Omar of Somalia was convicted by a court in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, for sending money and recruiting fighters from the United
States to Somalia. Omar was arrested in the Netherlands in 2009 and extradited to the
United States in 2011. Dutch authorities and witnesses contributed significantly to the
success of the investigation and prosecution. No sentencing date was set as of year’s end.
On December 3, police arrested 55 people at an alleged meeting of the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by both the Netherlands
and the EU. Those arrested came from Turkey, France, Germany, Syria, Switzerland,
Sweden, and the Netherlands. Authorities viewed this as a training meeting and nine
suspects will face trial. The others were released, with a handful handed over to
immigration.
In 2011, at the request of U.S. authorities, the Dutch police arrested Dutch terrorist
suspect Sabir Ali Khan at Schiphol airport. Khan was suspected of fighting against ISAF
troops in Afghanistan. The district court of Rotterdam declared Khan's extradition to the
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