Ex-student held after threats made to Dutch school
The British School of the Netherlands has confirmed that one of its former students has been arrested in connection with threats to shoot pupils and teachers at a school in Holland.
All schools in the Dutch town of Leiden have been closed today, after Swiss police alerted their counterparts to threatening language being posted on online messaging boards.
The message read: "Tomorrow, I will shoot my Dutch teacher, and as many students as I can." The writer then explains they will be carrying a 9mm Colt Defender gun and a note "which will explain why I did it".
Following a security alert this morning in Leiden, we have been informed that a former student of the BSN has been arrested in connection to threats made against a Dutch school in Leiden.
This student was permanently excluded from the BSN in October 2011 after incidents regarding his behaviour and has therefore not attended the school for over a year.
We have been assured by the police that there was never a threat to The British School or to our students. The school was open as usual this morning and lessons continue as normal.
– Spokeswoman for the British School in the Netherlands
Dutch PM offers resignation after failed budget talks
The Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has offered his resignation to the Queen after austerity talks failed.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte Credit: Yves Herman / Reuters
The Liberal leader, whose centre-right coalition government has been in power since October 2010, said on Saturday talks on budget cuts had failed and new elections were likely.
Rutte's main political ally until this weekend, the Freedom Party's Geert Wilders, refused to agree on how to cut billions of euros from the country’s budget to meet an EU target on its deficit.
An international search had been going for months after Kirk Bradley escaped from a prison van with Anthony Downes while en route for trial.
Downes was also arrested in Holland and is fighting extradition proceedings after both were convicted in their absence earlier this year.
Kirk Bradley was arrested in Amsterdam after being on the run. Credit: Press Association
Ian Milne, head of European operations for the Serious Organised Crime Agency, said: "Like his partner in crime Anthony Downes discovered only a few weeks ago, there is no such place as a safe haven.
"Kirk Bradley was shocked when officers burst through the door of his luxury apartment in Amsterdam. He had no idea we were on to him.
Anthony Downes is fighting his extradition from Holland. Credit: Press Association
"Joint working with Merseyside Police and the Amsterdam police has led to the capture of these two violent and dangerous individuals.
"They are now back behind bars where they belong. This shows that criminals who flee to other countries are not beyond our reach."
One of the UK's most wanted crimelords has been captured in Holland.
Kirk Bradley, who had been on the run since fleeing a Manchester prison van last July, was arrested with his uncle in Amsterdam last night, the Serious Organised Crime Agency said.
He is expected to be returned to the UK to serve a life jail term for leading an underworld gang responsible for a series of shootings, and leaving a hand grenade on the front wall of Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish's home.
