Terrorist alert extended

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 6

Terrorist alert extended

NZPA-Reuter . The Hague

Dutch, security, services have extended a special security alert .to protect United States as well ;as Israeli and Jewish targets against ’ possible guerrilla attack, the Justice Ministry 'said yesterday. The United States Embassy spokesman said the Dutch authorities had passed on a warning of, “possible Libyan-sponsored terrorist actions.” . ! - Dutch and Scandinavian police took special security steps last week-end after reports from? West European. Intelligence services that an anti-Israeli extremist group in Europe, had disappeared.

A spokeswoman at the Netherlands’Ministry for Justice said police throughout the country were warned yesterday to increase protection of American targets. The United States spokesman said: “We have received information from the Dutch authorities about possible Libyan-sponsored terrorist actions. We take it seriously and are acting correspondingly.” He gave'no details of the security measures taken, except to say there were more police patrols. The Ministry for Justice, asked what were considered United States targets, said: “Everything you can think of.”

In Stockholm last weekend, the Swedish police said they had increased security at airports and at synagogues and other Jewish premises. Dutch police said the latest alert was similar to one circulated last month before the attacks at Rome and Vienna airports, which left 19 dead. The security services are preparing unprecedented measures to protect the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Shimon Peres, next week.

In Oslo, senior police sources said the warning of a possible attack had come from Israel’s Intelligence service, Mossad. The soirees said Mossad had wormed Western

security services that the Palestinian guerrilla leader, Abu Nidal, was involved in the possible attacks.

The Netherlands and Norway were named specifically by Mossad as possible targets for an attack against Israeli embassies or personnel and airports.

A spokesman at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s northern command headquarters near the Norwegian capital said that security there had been tightened. He said military police guarding the top-secret installation — buried in a mountain — had been called back from leave to reinforce guards.