Dutch authorities release two Yemenis

Dutch prosecutors released without charge on Wednesday two Yemenis arrested in Amsterdam Monday who were taken into custody on suspicion of planning a possible terrorist attack.
 
“Two men from Yemen in custody since Monday on suspicion of possible involvement in the planning of a terrorist act were freed this evening,” the Dutch prosecuting authority said in a statement, justifying the release by lack of evidence.
 
U.S. authorities have also said they had no reason to charge the two men.
 
Yemen welcomed the release of the two men. “It is important to emphasize that Yemen is a victim of terrorism as well, with al-Qaeda operatives having killed over fifty Yemenis in the past three months,” said Mohammed Albasha, a spokesman for the Yemeni embassy in Washington.

Investigations with the two Yemenis have shown there was no indication of the men’s possible involvement in any criminal act, the Dutch prosecutors said.
 
Wouter Hendrickx, a lawyer for Mr. Soofi, told the Associated Press his client had said “I have no connections to terrorist activities whatsoever.” He was merely going to visit relatives in Yemen, Mr. Hendrickx added.
 
The two men’s behavior initially seemed suspicious as Mr. Soofi walked through security carrying $7,000 in cash. His checked luggage included a cell phone taped to a bottle, a knife and a box cutter.
 
Additionally, both men, while in Chicago, changed their flight to go directly to Amsterdam instead of stopping in Washington. Mr. Soofi’s luggage had traveled to Washington without him, another red flag. Finally, they are both Yemenis and Yemen is under increased scrutiny by the U.S. of being a training center for Islamic terrorists.
 
According to U.S. media, the two men were identified as Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al-Soofi, and Hezam al-Murisi from Detroit Michigan. The men were arrested at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport on Monday after a flight from Chicago.
 
Dutch security authorities arrested the two men Monday morning, saying that there was considerable suspicion that the men had been making a dry run for a future attack.
 
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that the two men had been arrested for  possessing suspicious materials in their luggage.
 
The materials found in their luggage were not dangerous, the DHS said. Under the information exchange accord, we have informed our international partners, Dutch authorities, with our suspicions.
 
The luggage contained a shampoo bottle strapped to a hand watch and a mobile phone strapped to a medicine bottle.

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