Armed police swarm packed train in Rotterdam after man boards and screams "I've got a bomb"

 

Panic: Commuters were forced to flee as armed police arrived 

Armed police swarmed a packed passenger train this morning after a man boarded the train and screamed: "I've got a bomb".
Commuters were forced to flee as heavily-armed police in body armour descended on the train at Rotterdam station in Holland.

The alarm was raised just after 8am and stunned members of the public watched as officers in balaclavas, helmets and carrying automatic weapons raced to intercept the train.
Passengers were evacuated as officers flooded the station and surrounded the train.
Describing the incident, a businessman travelling on the train said: "The man got onto to the train and headed straight for the toilet. 

"He was heard to say he had a bomb.

"A message came over the tannoy, telling us all to get off the train as quickly as possible.
"Then their were armed tactical police everywhere."

Officers then began negotiating with the man and within half an hour it was established he was unarmed, and he was arrested and the terror alert was stood down.
Images later showed a young man being brought off the train and handcuffed.

 

Police: Armed officers descended on Rotterdam station

Soon after 9am, a Dutch police spokesman said: "After an evacuation and search, it was established that the man was unarmed. The terror alert is over."

The incident comes less than a month after an Moroccan national and suspected radical Islamist was overpowered on the same Thalys service after he threatened fellow passengers with a gun.

Ayoub El Kahzani, 26, remains in custody in France, and security has been stepped up on all major European rail services.

Police surround train as potential terrorist is locked in toilet

Speaking at the time the incident happened, a Dutch police spokesman said: "The station is being evacuated and tactical units are in place.


"The suspect is in the toilet, and the train is empty of passengers. Other services have been cancelled. The situation is ongoing."

Posting to Twitter, the train company said this morning: "Evacuation Thalys in Rotterdam. Passenger locked himself in toilet.

"Security forces have situation under control. No risk for our passengers."

 

Armed: Members of a special unit of Dutch stand guard near a Thalys train on a platform of Rotterdam central station

El Kahzani had been to Syria, prompting fears that he had fought for Islamic State (IS) there. He too had locked himself in a toilet before confronting people with an automatic weapon as the train travelled through France.
He was overpowered by a number of men, including a Briton and two US servicemen, one of whom suffered knife wounds in the struggle.

El Kahzani had boarded in Brussels, and within hours of the thwarted attack, security measures on all Thalys trains between France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany were upgraded, with increased patrols and baggage checks at international rail stations.