THE NETHERLANDS:A KURDISH immigrant was arrested in the Dutch town of Almelo yesterday after holding four people, including a town councillor, at gunpoint for the day.
The hostage-taker (41) is believed to have been fighting a long-running battle with council officials who refused to give him an operating licence for a cafe and restaurant he had renovated.
Told that he must close his business because the cafe was to be demolished as part of a plan for the town centre, the man, who had ploughed his life's savings into the venture, pleaded in vain with planners to allow his cafe to stay open.
Yesterday he set his business on fire and then drove to the town hall, where he sought out Bert Kuiper, a councillor and deputy mayor responsible for planning and restaurant licences.
Throughout the afternoon armed police, ambulances and fire fighters stood by until the hostage-taker gave himself up after speaking to negotiators.