In advance of June 9 national elections Erik Akkerboom, the governments counter terrorism adviser, has reported that the risk of a terrorist attack in the country remains limited though there is a small potential for election based violence. News agencies have reported on Akerboom’s comments from a variety of perspectives.
Dutch News summarizes Akkerboom’s comments as an assurance that the terrorism attack in the country remains limited, quoting his comments to the Volkskrant that “there are ‘no concrete indications that anything will happen”.
On the other hand, Radio Netherlands Worldwide publishes an overview of Akkerboom’s “threat analysis” emphasizing that the Netherlands faces increased risk of internal political violence due to politicized debate over Islam in the country.
Earth Times, meanwhile, reported rather that the Netherlands “fears possible terrorist attacks before elections”. The claim is based on comments from Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin, who cites Akerboom’s reports in stating that “the current debate about Islam in the country and the number of Muslim immigrants made the possibility of ‘politically motivated attacks’ more likely”.
