Amsterdam hostage taker asked for 200m in cryptocurrency

A man who held several people hostage at an Apple store in Amsterdam demanded 200 million euros in cryptocurrency before he was taken to hospital “seriously injured”, police said Wednesday. The man, identified as a 27-year-old from Amsterdam, entered the Apple store carrying a firearm in the busy Leidseplein neighbourhood late Tuesday afternoon, sparking a tense five-hour long ordeal.

The camouflage-wearing assailant held one man hostage, a 44-year-old Bulgarian national, according to reports, while four others hid in a closet.

It was initially feared the suspect was holding several people hostage, but he was reportedly not aware that several more people were in hiding in the building. In an overnight press conference, police chief Frank Paauw said the suspected demanded 200 million in cryptocurrency before he was eventually apprehended by police.

The dramatic ordeal finally ended around 10:30pm when the hostage asked for water. The hostage fled after the water was delivered, closely followed by the suspect.

The suspect was then hit hard by a police car before a robot checked him for explosives as he lay on the road, painted by laser sights from police snipers. Around 70 people in total were evacuated from the building and the area around the store was cordoned off.

The suspect was taken to hospital “seriously injured”, Paauw said, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.

Police were called at about 5:30pm on Tuesday about an armed man in the Apple store, and images suggested he might have been wearing an explosive vest. He later tweeted the man did not have explosives on him.

All Apple stores across the Netherlands were closed Wednesday, and the site of Tuesday’s hostage taking will remain closed Thursday, the company said. Leidseplein is popular with tourists and known for its lively bars and cafes. The area was quickly closed and the restaurants, bars and theatres were shut after the hostage taking.

Source: eNCA

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