Man found in Dubai faces Dutch court on murder charges
One of Holland’s biggest murder trials started yesterday, with Ridouan Taghi facing several charges of murder and of running a hit squad.
Sixteen other suspects are also on trial.
Tight security was in place at the Amsterdam court known as “The Bunker”, with two helicopters overhead and armoured vehicles surrounding the building.
Mr Taghi, 43, is accused of ordering six murders between 2015 and 2017 as part of a Moroccan drugs war, and of being the mastermind behind the hit squad known as the “Angels of Death”.
He is also accused of attempting to blow up a car belonging to Dutch criminal Martin Kok in 2016, using a bomb that had the power of 40 hand grenades.
The Moroccan-Dutch citizen was living in Dubai with his wife and six children until he was captured and returned to the Netherlands.
The 17 people on trial are charged with planning 13 gangland murders, of which six were carried out.
Said Razzouki, who is accused of being Mr Taghi’s second in command, was arrested in Colombia in February last year and is awaiting extradition. He is being tried in his absence.
Outside court, a protest was held by campaigners who claim the trial is unfair. Many wore T-shirts bearing the slogan “Free T”.
Security around the case was increased after lawyer Derk Wiersum, who was representing the prosecution’s key witness, known as Nabil B, was murdered.
Nabil B’s brother was also murdered.
Yesterday, the court heard that Nabil B had been arrested for possessing a weapon in 2017.
After discussions with investigators, he agreed to give evidence linking Mr Taghi and others to a number of murders in return for receiving a lesser prison term of 12 years.
The witness told the court that his decision was owing to the “[drugs] war getting terribly close”.
“I found out that Ridouan wanted to kill me,” Nabil said.
The trial, following a threeyear international investigation, is expected to last at least a year.