Terror threat to EU institutions

16 July 2004

BRUSSELS – A letter threatening EU institutions in Brussels and the Hague was sent a few days ago to the United Nations headquarters in New York, Dutch Interior Minister Johan Remkes has confirmed.

According to Dutch news agency ANP, the letter was signed by the Al Qaeda terrorist group responsible for the September 11 attacks against the United States.

The letter is currently being examined by the Dutch intelligence services, Remkes told Dutch TV channel RTL4.

A UN spokeswoman declined to comment on any matters relating to security.

The Netherlands has been at the helm of the EU’s rotating presidency since July 1.

The Hague, the country’s seat of government, plays host to the European policy agency Europol and Eurojust, which coordinates criminal justice in the EU.

Remkes told ANP that security had been tightened around government buildings after information emerged last Friday about possible attacks inside the country and abroad.

The Belgian authorities said they were not aware of the threat and had only heard about the letter to the UN from Dutch television.

Both the interior ministry and the cabinet of Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said they had no knowledge of the letter.

The crisis centre of the Belgian interior ministry has not raised the terror alert within the country and no specific measures have been planned.

Subject: Belgian news