'No threat' to women's Euro 2017 football – Dutch officials

The Hague (AFP) – Dutch counter-terrorism officials said Thursday they had not found any “concrete threat” against the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 football championships, after a reported jihadist call for an attack.

There are “no indications that an attack will be made on the European Women’s Football Championship,” the Dutch counter-terrorism agency (NCTV) said in a statement.

According to the specialist jihadist monitoring website SITE, the so-called Islamic State group had called on “lone wolves to attack Stadion Galgenwaard in Utrecht” on Wednesday, July 19, the day of the England versus Scotland match.

The SITE Intelligence Group said Wednesday it had detected the message, which included two photos of the stadium, a seating plan and a route map, on a pro-IS Telegram channel.

But the Dutch agency said it believed it was merely “a call for an attack…. and at this time the NCTV has seen no sign that this call has been heard”.

However, it said it could “not ignore the call” and in consultation with the Dutch football association security measures will be boosted at stadiums to ensure people feel safe.

These will include a “more visible police presence” and “stricter access controls”. 

The women’s European football championships kick off on Sunday and last three weeks, with the finals set for August 6 in the Dutch town of Enschede.