Six 'Jew hunt' attackers arrested as anti-terrorist service fears 'copycat' Amsterdam attack

The planned attack mirrored the language and tactics used by attackers in the Dutch capital last week.

Police spokesman Wouter Bruyns said anyone carrying flags, balaclavas or other materials indicating planned action risked arrest.

The suspects were detained as various groups, including young people, converged on the district and were instructed to leave.

"Anyone who did not comply with the request to leave the area was arrested," Bruyns said.

The operation focused on Antwerp's Jewish Quarter, where police maintained heightened vigilance against potential threats.

Belgian Justice Minister Paul van Tigchelt held consultations with Antwerp's Jewish community on Sunday, assuring them that security services were taking the threat seriously.

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"Our anti-terrorist service has done its analysis, and the least we can fear is copycat behaviour," van Tigchelt said.

The minister warned of the realistic possibility of further incidents, stating: "Can this happen in Belgium? The honest answer is: why wouldn't it happen here? We have to be realistic about that."

Authorities have expressed growing concern over the term "jodenjacht" becoming established as street slang on social media platforms like Telegram and Snapchat.

The term, primarily used by young people of Arab origin, has been linked to coordinated efforts to target Jewish individuals.

The spread of this terminology through social media apps has raised alarm among security officials, particularly following the recent incidents in Amsterdam and the attempted copycat attack in Antwerp.

Israel's National Security Council has already advised citizens against attending cultural and sporting events in several European countries.

The advisory specifically mentions Britain, the Netherlands, France, and Belgium among the nations where Israeli citizens should exercise increased caution.

This warning comes amid heightened concerns about antisemitic incidents across Europe and follows the recent attacks on Israeli football fans in Amsterdam.

Last week's attacks against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans in Amsterdam resulted in five people being taken to hospital and 60 people being arrested.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof condemned the "antisemitic" attacks, with Amsterdam's mayor labelling the horrific scenes "hit and run".

Attacking successive Dutch Governments over the situation, Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders said: "All those parties that governed for years and left our borders wide open should be ashamed of themselves.

"They are now shedding crocodile tears but are entirely responsible for the import and growth of all that disgusting Jew-hatred."