Amsterdam police probe new blast claimed by same group that claimed Jewish school explosion

AMSTERDAM, March 16 (Reuters) - Dutch police are investigating an explosion that damaged an office building in Amsterdam and was claimed ​by the same extremist organisation which also claimed ‌it was behind a recent blast at a Jewish school in the area, a police spokesperson said on Monday.

It was not immediately ​clear if the building has a link to ​Amsterdam’s Jewish community.

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Officers were investigating the explosion, which ⁠led to a small fire that was quickly extinguished ​by security guards and caused minor damage, the spokesperson said, ​adding that police were examining whether the two incidents were indeed linked.

Sienna Investment Managers, which manages the building, did not immediately ​reply to an emailed request for comment.

Saturday’s explosion, for ​which the same group claimed responsibility, caused minor damage to a Jewish ‌school. ⁠Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten condemned the attack.

The group has also claimed earlier attacks on synagogues in Rotterdam and in neighbouring Belgium’s Liege. The ​attacks had already ​triggered heightened ⁠security at Jewish sites in Amsterdam.

Justice Minister David van Weel said on Saturday that ​a link between the explosions in Amsterdam and ​Rotterdam ⁠could not be excluded, but did not confirm any claims made on social media by the group.

Concerns about possible attacks ⁠against ​Jewish communities around the world have ​risen following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and the subsequent response ​from Tehran.

Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Pooja Desai

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