"Samir Azzouz has to be severely punished for inciting feelings of fear in this society," prosecutor Roger Lambrichts said.

In his closing arguments the prosecutor stressed that the goal of the planned attacks was "to damage the democratic and social process" and to "overturn the rule of law in the Netherlands".

Lambrichts asked the judges to try Azzouz as an adult even though he was 17 years old when the alleged offences took place.

The prosecution also demanded that Azzouz be stripped of civic rights for a period of 12 years. According to Lambrichts the suspect could become "a possible icon for the Islamic radical movement in the Netherlands".

Azzouz, who was born in the Netherlands of Moroccan parents, came to court Wednesday dressed in white pants, a white tunic and an Islamic skullcap. He showed no emotion during the prosecution's closing argument.

At the end of Wednesday's hearing Azzouz took the opportunity to speak and denounced the Dutch legal system.

"People think I have something to hide. They are wrong. I feel like I have already been convicted," he told the court.

His lawyers have asked for acquittal because they argue the proof against their client is weak and the charges are based on "alleged intentions" he had.

The prosecution earlier painted Azzouz, who is now 18, as "an intelligent young man" who turned to radical Islam "probably after the September 11 attacks in 2001" against New York and Washington.

Prosecutor Lambrichts spoke of the last will and testament as well as radical pamphlets discovered in Azzouz's house, and his marriage "according to Islamic tradition."

The defence countered that "it is not possible to conclude that Azzouz is practising an extreme form of Islam".

"Even if that were the case, there is no proof that he was planning violent acts. There is a difference between extremism and violence," attorney Jasper Pauw said.

Azzouz was arrested in June 2004 after he allegedly held up a supermarket in Rotterdam. The authorities said the haul of over 700 euros (900 dollars) from the robbery was meant to finance terrorist activities.

A search of his house following the arrest yielded maps of the Borssele nuclear plant, the Dutch parliament and the Schiphol airport near Amsterdam along with a silencer and ammunition, according to police.

The defence lawyers argued Wednesday that the maps did not prove Azzouz was planning an attack. He told the court that nond of the items found at Azzouz's home would allow the accused to carry out an attack or produce explosives.

"It would be different if Azzouz had been arrested in The Hague with explosives in his possession," according to his lawyer.

The prosecution said Azzouz was also in contact with Mohammed Bouyeri, the suspected killer of outspoken Dutch filmmaker and columnist Theo van Gogh who was murdered last November.

According to the prosecution Azzouz was part of the so-called Hofstad group, a terrorist network. A dozen other suspects connected to the Hofstad group are currently awaiting trial on charges of belonging to a terrorist organisation.

Azzouz is not charged with being a member of the group because the prosecution believes there is not enough evidence at this stage to support the charge.

The court is to hand down its ruling in the case on April 6.

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