Police find explosives in Rotterdam, arrest 4-ANP

AMSTERDAM, Apr 29 (Reuters) Dutch police today arrested three men and one woman after finding explosives in their apartment in the port city of Rotterdam, news agency ANP reported.

ANP quoted a police spokeswoman as saying residents of seven neighbouring apartments were evacuated during the raid. She did not give details of what sort of explosives were found nor the identities of those arrested.

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 organisation.

REUTERS SHB BST1334