NCTV: despite criminal prosecution, group of ‘sovereigns’ still poses a danger

Eight so-called ‘sovereigns’, who reject the Dutch government, are being prosecuted, but like-minded people continue to pose a threat to national security. Young people also appear to be embracing jihadist and right-wing extremist ideas online “increasingly faster and more often”. That reports The National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) on Tuesday after its own inventory.

Since last March, the police have been investigating a radical minority within the sovereign movement, which wants to replace the current government and democratic institutions, possibly with (lethal) violence. The group of suspects lives throughout the Netherlands and is said to be part of the alleged terrorist organization ‘Common Law Netherlands Earth’.

In July, four were alleged sovereigns arrested. One of them had no fixed address, the other Overijssel suspects came from Olst-Wijhe, Deventer and Schalkhaar. A 66-year-old woman from Sluis in Zeeland was arrested in September. That same month calculated the police also arrested a 61-year-old man and 59-year-old woman from Geesteren in Overijssel. The pair possessed ammunition, a crossbow and documents with radical sovereign ideas. This month, a 59-year-old man from Geleen in Limburg was arrested for allegedly providing terrorist training. Two arms dealers have also been arrested in the context of this case.

Last April, the AIVD announced that around ten thousand Dutch people see themselves as sovereign. The majority do not explicitly reject the government system, but try to avoid the state as much as possible. A second group of thousands of people reject the system. The most radical group, to which the suspects belong, consists of dozens of people who are preparing for an “inevitable” battle against the government.

Jihadism and right-wing extremism

The NCTV is also concerned about young people who are becoming radicalized “more and more often and faster” by consulting jihadist and right-wing extremist internet sources. Dutch young people also relatively easily come into contact with members of the Islamic State via the internet about traveling to the Middle East or planning an attack. According to the NCTV, dozens of young people between the ages of twelve and twenty came into the picture for spreading terrorist propaganda and sometimes for plotting an attack.

In 2024, several new right-wing extremist groups were founded, some of which adhere to terrorist ideas. For example, they consider white people “superior.” According to the NCTV, right-wing extremists are more prepared to take action than other groups. In addition to spreading ideologies among themselves, right-wing extremists also want to meet each other personally and undertake activities.

Threat level

The NCTV increased it at the end of 2023 Dutch threat levelwhich represents the probability of an attack, from three (significant) to four (substantial). The agency announced on Tuesday that it will maintain a threat level of four. It is still possible to increase the threat level to 5 (critical) if a terrorist attack is imminent in the Netherlands.

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