Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03THEHAGUE1755
2003-07-09 16:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy The Hague
Cable title:  

TELEPHONIC BOMB THREAT FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS IN

Tags:  ASEC PTER NL 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001755 

SIPDIS

TERREP

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/EUR,
DS/ICI/CI, DS/IP/FPO,DS/DSS/OSAC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PTER NL
SUBJECT: TELEPHONIC BOMB THREAT FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS IN
ROTTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS ON 07/09/03

UNCLAS THE HAGUE 001755

SIPDIS

TERREP

SENSITIVE

DEPARTMENT FOR DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/EUR,
DS/ICI/CI, DS/IP/FPO,DS/DSS/OSAC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PTER NL
SUBJECT: TELEPHONIC BOMB THREAT FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS IN
ROTTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS ON 07/09/03


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. On July 9, 2003, at approximately 1539
hours an employee of the U.S. Embassy The Hague
received a telephonic bomb threat from a male individual
stating he was a member of the activist group called RA-RA
and stated the American Express in Rotterdam was going to
explode within 30 minutes.


2. (SBU) The conversation went as follows:

Caller: Stated something in Dutch
USG Employee: "I am sorry sir, I don't speak Dutch."
Caller: "You don't speak Dutch?"
USG Employee: "No I'am sorry I don't."
Caller: "Yes, well I belong to an activist group called
RA-RA and there is going to be a, um, how do you call
it (slight pause) an explosion at the American Express
in Rotterdam within 30 minutes". The caller immediately
hung up.


3. (U) The Acting RSO notified The Hague and Rotterdam
Police as well as the Security Chief at American Express in
the Netherlands and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The
American Express Rotterdam branch was immediately notified,
evacuated their employees and telephoned the fire
department, which arrived shortly afterwards. The fire
department did not find any explosives.


4. (SBU) RA-RA, the Revolutionary Anti-Racism Alliance,
is an ultra leftist group first organized to protest South
African apartheid and racist sentiment in the Netherlands.
This group was violently opposed to restrictions on
granting refugee status. Although the organization has been
inactive for approximately three years in the Netherlands,
they have used arson and bombs in the past. END SUMMARY

BAILY