A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in the Netherlands on suspicion of being a member of extreme right-wing paramilitary organisation The Base, which was added to the national terrorism sanction list in January and was declared illegal in Europe in June.

The youngster is one of three people arrested in August who are accused of repeatedly trying to convince people to take part in terrorist actions via chat groups. The others are aged 19 and 26.

All three were arrested on August 20 after a nationwide investigation. The arrests were made in Bergeijk, Hengelo and Veenendaal. They were remanded in custody on Thursday for a further 30 days while the investigation continues.

The Base, which started in the United States, aims to create social chaos that will lead to a war between the races, resulting in an apartheid state with citizenship for whites only.

In 2022 two other members of The Base were arrested and convicted in the Netherlands, one of whom said he knew of the three bike routes that then prime minister Mark Rutte took to work.