Officials have cancelled the passports of two couples from Huizen in Noord-Holland and taken their children into care because of fears they were planning to head to Syria, officials said on Saturday.

There are strong indications the two couples, aged 30 and 31 and 32 and 34, were planning to travel to the Middle East to join the IS militia, the public prosecution department told a news conference.

One couple had an eight-month old girl, the other five boys up to nine years in age. The children have been taken ‘to a place of safety’ but have not been kept together, the Telegraaf reported. The children were all born in the Netherlands and have Dutch nationality. Their passports have also been cancelled.

Search

Both the couples’ homes were searched and in one ‘things’ were found which pointed to a speedy departure, the public prosecution department said. The four adults have been taken into custody and a criminal investigation is under way.

Justice minister Ivo Opstelten said on Friday the passports of 33 people suspected of wanting to join terror groups had been cancelled.