The Netherlands has cancelled the passports of 49 dual nationals, 41 of whom were planning to head to Syria or Iraq and eight who are already there, the justice ministry confirmed at the weekend.

In addition, 30 people have had their claims for social security benefits cancelled and the bank accounts of 12 people have been frozen, justice minister Ivo Opstelten told current affairs tv show WNL. 

Thirty people in the Netherlands are the subject of criminal investigations in connection with their support for jihad, the minister said.

In addition, over 30 of the 140 Dutch nationals known to have travelled to Syria or Iraq are now back in the Netherlands and two are in custody.

Uniform

Opstelten also reacted to last week’s formal government advice to members of the Dutch armed forces not to travel in uniform. That is nothing more than a precautionary measure and happens in many other countries, he said.

Dutch soldiers have twice before been warned not to go out in public in uniform: once when the Netherlands was involved in the mission in Iraq in 2003 and once when Geert Wilders’ anti-Islam video compilation Fitna was issued in 2008, Nos television said.

The official threat level in the Netherlands remains ‘substantial’ despite the Netherlands’ decision to send six F-16 fighter jets to take part in the coalition bombing of IS targets in Iraq.