Four arrested on suspicion of detonating explosive outside Rotterdam synagogue

Dutch police say they have arrested four young men on suspicion of setting off an explosion outside a synagogue in Rotterdam that caused a brief blaze and damage to the building.

After the blast, police monitored other synagogues as a precaution and stopped a vehicle near another building driven by someone matching the description of one of the suspects.

“It is not yet clear whether the suspects planned to detonate an explosive or set fire to another synagogue as well,” police say in a statement.

Two men were aged 19, one 18, and the fourth was 17 years old, say police, without specifying any potential motive.

Authorities say they are launching a “large-scale investigation into this serious incident” and appealed for witnesses to come forward.

An unverified video showing an explosion near a building resembling the targeted synagogue has circulated on social media, which police say they were examining as part of their probe.

Justice Minister David van Weel says the attack was “terrible news.”

“We will not tolerate antisemitism, intimidation and violence. Local authorities are ensuring the safety of synagogues,” he writes on X.

The minister voices solidarity with the Dutch Jewish community, adding: “They must feel safe in the Netherlands.”

Rotterdam city mayor Carola Schouten says the attack had caused “a great deal of anxiety among our Jewish fellow citizens.”

There is no place for antisemitism, intimidation, violence, or hatred toward religious communities in her city, adds Schouten.

The synagogue’s chairman, Chris den Hoedt, tells public broadcaster NOS that the attack was “shocking, but also not expected.”

“This is material damage,” he says, showing the scorched doors of the building.

“But the emotional damage our community feels is bigger and longer-lasting. We can repair this (the door), but not the rest,” he adds.