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Suspect dies after car attack on royals

THE man who drove his car into a crowd of parade spectators and killed six in an attempted attack on the Dutch royal family died early yesterday of his injuries, prosecutors said.

A military policeman died later yesterday of injuries he received when the driver smashed his car through police barricades.

Military police commander Dick van Putten said the officer became the sixth victim. Eight more people remain hospitalized, including two children.

The 38-year-old suspect, identified by Dutch media as Karst Tates, had been in critical condition since the attack on Thursday the Queen's Day.

Eleven other people were hurt when he rammed his car through police barricades toward an open-topped bus carrying Queen Beatrix and several other members of the royal family.

He told one of the first police officers to rush to his car that the attack was aimed at the royal family, prosecutor Ludo Goossens said on Thursday.

Prosecutors said the suspect's death ended the criminal investigation against him, but that they would continue to investigate whether he acted alone. Prosecutors have not released his name, in line with Dutch privacy laws.

"So far there are no indications" anybody else was involved, prosecutors said in a statement.

The attack prompted officials to review security arrangements for the royal family's public appearances, beginning with Memorial Day on Monday commemorating Dutch victims of World War II, followed on Tuesday by Liberation Day festivities. State broadcaster NOS said the 71-year-old queen would attend at least the main memorial ceremony as planned.

The queen and her son Crown Prince Willem-Alexander seldom hesitate to approach the crowds on holidays, especially on Queen's Day, when the members of the House of Orange are the focus of attention.

Now, the attack raised questions about "whether Queen's Day can ever again be celebrated in the way we Dutch are accustomed to - with its most important feature the closeness of the queen, her family and the Dutch public," said De Volkskrant daily.

People yesterday laid flowers at the scene of the attack.



 

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