Dutch police have arrested a 20-year-old man suspected of preparing a terrorist attack intended to cause mass casualties in Capelle aan den IJssel, near Rotterdam, local media reported Tuesday, citing the Dutch Public Prosecution Service.
The suspect was taken into custody on October 5 after authorities received information indicating that he had discussed plans to carry out an attack with “as many victims as possible".
During a search of his residence, investigators discovered a sword, two knives and an air pistol, which the suspect had reportedly discussed using in the planned attack.
Although the arrest took place more than a week ago, prosecutors only publicly disclosed the case on Tuesday.
The suspect appeared before a judge last Friday and was ordered to remain in custody for an additional 14 days while investigators continued their inquiries.
Authorities have not identified the intended target of the suspected plot or released further details about the investigation.
The arrest follows several terrorism-related investigations in the Netherlands in recent years.
In 2018, Dutch counterterrorism police detained seven men, aged between 21 and 34, suspected of preparing a "major terrorist attack" at a public gathering.
Investigators believed the suspects intended to use explosive belts and an AK-47 assault rifle. The arrests were carried out by specialized counterterrorism units supported by helicopters.
In October 2025, police arrested a 25-year-old man who had threatened politicians during a TikTok livestream, specifically mentioning right-wing politician Geert Wilders.
The suspect threatened to enter parliament “with an axe" and warned that “heads will roll," suggesting he “might (start) with Geertje," a nickname for Wilders.
Two months later, Dutch authorities detained a 29-year-old Syrian national suspected of membership in the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization and of planning an attack somewhere in Europe.
According to prosecutors, the Dutch intelligence agency AIVD had identified social media messages in which the suspect allegedly threatened to carry out an attack at an unspecified European location around Christmas.
In February, Dutch prosecutors announced the arrest of 15 people suspected of distributing ISIS propaganda through TikTok and attempting to recruit others to participate in terrorist activities.