Just how easily could terrorists get into on the of the Dutch queen’s palaces? Politicians are angry that a journalist managed successfully to enter Queen Beatrix’s ‘office’ palace in The Hague - yet another security failure just seven months after the attack on the royal family in April on the national holiday, Queen’s Day. However, experts say absolutely watertight security is probably achievable only - if at all - in a police state. 

"If you want to, you can always get in," says Carlo Cahn, secretary of the Dutch Association of Private Security Organisations. Terrorism expert Edwin Bakker of the Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael agrees: “There is no such thing as watertight. You can always find a way in”.

However, just like many Dutch MPs, the two experts were surprised at how easy it was for television reporter Alberto Stegeman to enter Noordeinde Palace in The Hague. The journalist had already succeeded in getting very close to the royal jet at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.  He also managed to steal an army vehicle from a military camp and spent a night inside Woensdrecht airforce base without being noticed.

Undercover
At the end of October, Mr Stegeman phoned Noordeinde Palace saying he that he would arrive there soon to perform some maintenance work. He arrived at the palace gate in a van bearing the logo of a non-existent company. Security staff at the palace checked his passport, but not his vehicle and therefore failed to discover a fake bomb carried in the back.

He parked the van underneath the window of the queen’s study, entered the palace and succeeded in getting very close to the study. Only once was he questioned with some suspicion. He then left the grounds. 

Terrorists can too?
The clear outcome: security for the Dutch royal family is a shambles. Alberto Stegeman says that if he can do it, so could a terrorist. Nonetheless, experts do not think this is likely to happen any time soon. According to security expert Carlo Cahn: “Stegeman is no Muslim fundamentalist nor a political extremist. If he were, the intelligence service would know about him and pick him up before he carried out an attack. If they’re doing their work properly.”
 
Terrorism expert Edwin Bakker adds: "If a terrorist or criminal tries to obtain explosives, there is an increased risk of getting arrested. [Illegal] arms dealers will regard you with suspicion. A handgun is a different issue, but it would get a lot more complicated if you wanted to buy explosives or a grenade launcher. They won’t think ‘Oh, it’s just another customer, I’ll supply them, I don’t care’. It’s a serious risk for such an organisation, because the client could also be an infiltrator.”  

Watertight
There are a great many practical reasons why it’s difficult to conduct a full inspection of every vehicle that enters a government location. People who are asking for watertight security are really asking for a police state, the two experts argue, but parliament has been calling this latest incident shocking and is demanding an explanation from the government.
 
National Coordinator for Counter Terrorism Erik Akerboom will review and, if necessary, tighten the relevant security protocols. In general, one can safely say that all sides are making the noises usually heard  after each and every ‘breach of security’ incident. 

"Politicians have a professional obligation to be shocked and surprised when procedures have not been followed,” Edwin Bakker says. “We must ensure that security personnel remain sharp and alert.. More-more-more is the wrong answer, improved implementation is the right one. And, unfortunately, sometimes there’s still a great deal to do in that respect. In that sense, it’s a compliment to a reporter if he ensures that we in the security sector stay alert.”

According to Carlo Cahn, “We are only human and mistakes are made. However, everyone knows that that’s highly undesirable in this situation”.

In Europe
Be that as it may, Edwin Bakker argues that the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are ahead of other European countries when it comes to security issues. “We are on guard, and we devote a lot of money, means and time to the issue. In other countries it is often surprisingly easy to enter a government building. Only last week, I managed to drive onto a NATO site in a taxi without any trouble. It’s also extremely easy to get into the European Commission building in Brussels. You can forget about trying to do that at a Dutch ministry or military site”.