Christians Under Attack

the port city of Rotterdam, a police spokeswoman said.

"We searched a house in Rotterdam early this morning based on information we had received," the spokeswoman said.

She did not disclose what sort of explosives were found nor the identities of those arrested, but said they were being questioned by police.

"The bomb squad set off a controlled explosion in an open area nearby and police are searching the house again to see if anything has been overlooked," she said.

Results from the investigation are not expected until next week.

During the raid, 15 residents from seven neighboring apartments were evacuated.

A Reuters photographer said the area had been cordoned off.

The Netherlands' security alert level has been at "substantial" since the bombing attacks in London on July 7 last year, the second highest in a four-stage warning system.

The country was shaken by the 2004 murder of a filmmaker critical of Islam. Nine young Muslim men were sentenced to jail terms recently for belonging to a terrorist organization.

Last November Dutch police arrested a 22-year-old man as part of an investigation into planned attacks on politicians and government buildings by suspected Islamic extremists.

CNN.COM