Dutch authorities detain father, daughter on suspicion of funding Palestinian militant group Hamas
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dutch authorities arrested a man and his daughter on suspicion of sending millions of euros to organizations linked to the Palestinian militant group Hamas, prosecutors said on Monday.
The 55-year-old man and his 25-year-old daughter from the town of Leidschendam on the outskirts of The Hague on June 22 were detained on suspicion of breaching sanctions regulations by funding the militant group that runs the Gaza Strip.
The public prosecution office said in a statement that the pair are suspected of sending about 5.5 million euros ($6 million) to bodies "related to the organization Hamas, which was sanctioned in 2003.”
The father and daughter “are also suspected of participating in a criminal organization whose purpose is to support Hamas financially,” the prosecution statement said. They remain in custody. Their names were not released, in line with Dutch privacy regulations.
Searches by Dutch authorities of a home in Leidschendam and a business in Rotterdam uncovered cash — which was seized — and a bank account holding 750,000 euros ($820,000), prosecutors said.
They added that the man and woman were likely involved in a foundation that supported Hamas financially, continuing the work of another foundation that had been placed on a sanctions list. They did not name the foundations.
“There is no formal presence of Hamas in the Netherlands. Even so, there are several pro-Palestinian and pro-Gaza organizations in the Netherlands that are an important link in the international network that collects money for Hamas,” the statement said.
