Netherlands: Trial for Jihadist Who Desecrated 100 Graves

Last May, a 21-year-old man, identified only as Mohamed B., vandalized almost 100 graves in the Dutch town of Utrecht. Yesterday, he appeared in court to answer for his crime. Prosecutors believe his act was inspired by jihadism and have asked that he remain in custody pending his trial. Mr B. has a previous history with jihadism and is apparently still involved with that ideology. He reportedly has been writing jihadist  messages on his cell wall with chalk.

Reformatorisch Dagblad has the story, which is translated by Fousesquawk.

Public Prosecutor: Destruction of Utrecht graves fits with jihadist ideology

ANP 26 August 20:24 12:39

Domestic

The manner in which almost 100 graves were destroyed in the Utrecht Daelwijck cemetery in May of this year fits with the “jihadist ideology. That is been explained by an Arabist in the criminal case file that the justice system has built against the 21-year-old Mohamed B. from Vleuten. On Monday, he appeared for the first time in an open hearing at the criminal court in Utrecht. At the conclusion, he offered his apologies for the destruction.

Besides the desecration of graves, the Public Prosecutor’s Office suspects (Mohamed) B. of participating in a terrorist organization and preparing to carry out a serious crime, such as causing an explosion. B. reportedly almost traveled to Somalia last year to join ISIS. He was stopped by his father. Then he was in a deradicalization program and reportedly repented. He reportedly went looking for recruiters in order to unmask them. 

The Public Prosecutor’s Office does not believe that and thinks that B. wanted to give a different impression to outsiders. B. allegedly remained in contact with jihadist sympathizers and allegedly transferred money to organizations that adhered to that ideology. On the walls of his cell in which he sits in pre-trial detention, he reportedly has written jihadist texts in chalk, according to the prosecutor. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, A co-suspect  has stated that B.’s terrorist ambitions have not lessened.

B. was arrested shortly after the desecration of the graves and has been in custody since. He reportedly filmed the desecration of the graves. His lawyer is asking the court to set B. free under conditions so that he can continue with his therapy process.  “There is sufficient supervision and built-in control,” according to the counselor. She denies that the destruction of the graves had anything to do with any terrorist ideology.

The prosecutor opposed suspending the pre-trial arrest. The danger of repeat offending is too great, according to him. With the destruction of the graves, B. has crossed over from just talking about violence to actually committing (violence), he argued. According to the court, the suspicion is too serious and a suspension could not be explained to the public.

Thus, B. will remain in custody until at least the next interim hearing, which is scheduled for 18 November.