Dutch Soldiers Advised Not to Wear Uniforms on Public Transport for Fear of Jihadi Attacks

The Dutch Defence Ministry has started to advise military personnel that they should not wear their uniforms on public transport for fear that they will be targeted by jihadists after the Netherlands joined the campaign to fight Isis (now known as the Islamic State).

Dutch defence ministry spokeswoman Marloes Visser said that the decision to alert troops to the heightened threat was taken at the same time as the government announced the deployment of six F-16 fighter jets to conduct air strikes on IS positions in Iraq but not Syria.

In a speech to announce the increased Dutch role in the coalition, Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher said that the country was ready for the increasing risk to its national security because of its new role.

"The Netherlands will gain a higher profile among jihadis. We are ready," said Asscher.

"The Netherlands will make six F-16s available for the first phase of the campaign, for one year," he said after an emergency meeting at The Hague.

The Dutch government decided against joining the strikes in Syria because the Syrian government has not requested assistance from outside powers.

"In Iraq's case there is a clear request. A request by Iraq's legitimate government gives us a sufficient mandate to deploy the Dutch military," Asscher concluded.

In addition to the fighter jets, up to 380 Dutch military personnel could be operational in Iraq with 130 of those being military instructors to support local Iraqi forces.

The terror threat in the Netherlands stands at "substantial" which is the second highest level used by the Dutch anti-terror coordinator.