Man arrested after Hague embassy blast

A man was arrested after an explosion and fire broke out at the Turkish embassy in the Dutch capital The Hague today, but no injuries were reported.

A package exploded in the building and someone jumped from a window of the embassy onto a parked vehicle, said Frank van Beers of the Internal Affairs Ministry.

The person’s identity and condition were not immediately known.

Explosives experts were investigating what the package contained and surrounding streets were closed off to the public.

“I understand someone has been arrested,” Van Beers said, without giving further details.

There was no visible damage to the building and the fire was extinguished shortly after the explosion.

“That’s right there was an explosion,” said Mieke Swaving, Turkish ambassador Aydan Karahan’s secretary “I don’t think there are any injuries.”

The Turkish ambassador told Netherlands TV that a Dutch-speaking man put a bomb near a side door of the embassy and ran away.

It was not immediately clear why the Turkish embassy would be targeted in the Netherlands, although in other countries Turkish authorities have been targeted by Kurdish rebels fighting for an independent state.

Buildings adjacent to the embassy were evacuated and surrounding streets were cordoned off. Bomb disposal and anti-terrorism teams were at the scene.

The Turkish embassy is located in the centre of The Hague, the seat of the Dutch government, near parliament buildings and several other embassies.

Since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, Dutch intelligence agencies have warned that the Netherlands could be the target of a terrorist attack.