Hofstad Network

The network is said to have links to networks in Spain and Belgium. The Syrian Redouan al-I is the suspected spiritual leader of the group. Among the known members of the group are Mohammed Bouyeri, the suspect of murdering Dutch film director Theo van Gogh, and Samir A, suspected of planning terrorist attacks on the Dutch parliament, Schiphol Airport, the Dutch main airport, and a nuclear reactor. The group is influenced by the ideology of Takfir wal-Hijra. They also wanted to kill Dutch members of parliament Geert Wilders and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, as well as mayor Job Cohen and vice-mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb of Amsterdam.

Timeline

• November 16 2004 - In Spain Abdeladim A, suspected of taking part in the May 2003 Casablanca Attacks, is also charged with being the pivotal figure between several European terrorist cells, among which the Hofstad Network. He allegedly had ties with the Ansar al-Islam.
• November 10 2004 - The police attempt to arrest Jason W and Ismail A in The Hague. As the police breaks through the door the suspects throw a hand grenade at the police officers. After a 14-hour siege of their house by Dutch police and marines, at the beginning of which the suspects throw a hand grenade at the police. The same day several other suspected members of the network are arrested. The Hofstad Network is for the first time mentioned in public sources. The group gets much attention in both Dutch and international media.
• November 2 2004 - Mohammed Bouyeri is arrested for killing the film director Theo van Gogh.
• Summer 2004 - Nouredine el F and two other men from The Netherlands are arrested in Portugal for planning a terrorist attack against the then Portuguese prime-minister José Manuel Durão Barroso during the 2004 European Football Championship. They are almost immediately released for lack of evidence.
• October 14 2003 - 17-year old Samir A, Ismail A., Jason W. and Redouan al-I are put under arrest for planning a terrorist attack, but are soon released because of lack of evidence.
• Fall 2003 - Two members of the group, Ismail A. and Jason W, attract the attention of the AIVD. They travel to Pakistan, supposedly to receive terrorist training. According to an overheard phonecall an 'emir' sent Ismail back home 'to play a match'. Both men have contact with Abdelhamid A, also known as Naoufel. He is one of the suspects of the Casablanca Attacks.
• January 29 2003 - a regional branche of the General Intelligence and Security Office (AIVD) learns that Samir A. and another secondary school pupil from Amsterdam are on their way to Chechnya to fight for the Jihad. The AIVD uncovers links between Samir A., the already known members of the Hofstad Network, and the 'preacher' Redouan al-I., known among his young followers as Abu Khaled.
• September 26 2002 - the AIVD gives the group the code name Hofstad Network. Nouredine El F. appears to be the main figure of the group. He lives illegally in the Netherlands, and meets with other young Muslims in Mohammed Bouyeri's house in Amsterdam.
• Summer 2002 - the AIVD starts it's investigation in the group later named Hofstad Network.
  

  Members

• Mohammed Bouyeri (26, alleged murderer of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh)
• Redouan al-I, alias sheik Abu Khaled (43)
• Samir A (18)
• Jason W (19)
• Ismaël A, alias Suhaib (21)
• Mohammed Fahmi B, alias Abu Mussab (23)
• Nouredine el F (age unknown)
• Jermaine W (18)
• Youssef E (25)
• Ahmed H (26)
• Zine L (26)
• Mohammed el M (23)
• Nadir A (23)
• Zakaria T (21)
• Rachid B (26)
• Mohammed el B (21)
  

  References