Amsterdam police probe new blast claimed by same group that claimed Jewish school explosion

AMSTERDAM, March 16 (Reuters) – Dutch police are investigating an explosion that damaged an office building in Amsterdam and was claimed by the same extremist organisation which also claimed it was behind a recent blast at a Jewish school in the area, a police spokesperson said on Monday.

It was not immediately clear if the building has a link to Amsterdam’s Jewish community.

Officers were investigating the explosion, which led to a small fire that was quickly extinguished by security guards and caused minor damage, the spokesperson said, adding that police were examining whether the two incidents were indeed linked.

Sienna Investment Managers, which manages the building, did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

Saturday’s explosion, for which the same group claimed responsibility, caused minor damage to a Jewish school. Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten condemned the attack.

The group has also claimed earlier attacks on synagogues in Rotterdam and in neighbouring Belgium’s Liege. The attacks had already triggered heightened security at Jewish sites in Amsterdam.

Justice Minister David van Weel said on Saturday that a link between the explosions in Amsterdam and Rotterdam could not be excluded, but did not confirm any claims made on social media by the group.

Concerns about possible attacks against Jewish communities around the world have risen following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and the subsequent response from Tehran.

(Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Pooja Desai)