MPs have asked junior justice minister Ankie Broekers-Knol to explain why five convicted jihadis have not had their Dutch nationality revoked after all.

The five were all convicted of terrorism offences but have not been stripped of their Dutch nationality because of a Council of State ruling earlier this year.

Legislation allowing the minister to strip dual nationals of their Dutch nationality dates back to 2017 and it cannot be proved the five were working with banned terrorist groups at that time, the minister said in a letter to MPs.

This April, the Council of State ruled the Dutch government was wrong to strip Dutch nationality from two jihadis convicted of terrorism offences in 2013 and 2014, because the law making it possible was only introduced in 2017.

‘The withdrawal of Dutch nationality is a very severe move. That is why the law makes it clear it cannot be applied retroactively,’ the council said at the time.

MPs say Broekers-Knol has been too quick to withdraw the order to remove the five men’s Dutch nationality and should have let the issue be dealt with in court.

Six other men have been stripped of their Dutch nationality because there is enough evidence of their involvement in terrorism after the 2017 deadline, the minister said.