Background
Investigations
Between 2015 and 2017 five murders and four attempted murders took place that the police and Public Prosecution Service (OM) believed were linked to the criminal organization run by Ridouan Taghi, beginning the Marengo trial against all those suspected of involvement. All the murders followed a pattern, the victims having posed a threat to Taghi's organization which was involved in trafficking and dealing in cocaine and other drugs. [7]
The trial was divided into multiple investigations.
Criminal organization
This investigation pertains to participation in a criminal organization during the period from 1 July 2015 to 14 January 2017.
Murder of Ronald Bakker
Bakker was murdered because he allegedly provided the police with information about customers of the store in Nieuwegein where he worked. In a separate case, two 'spotters' were also convicted for this murder. [8] They also made preparations for an explosion in the spy shop in Nieuwegein, where Bakker was employed. Taghi suspected the company of collaborating with the police and judiciary. This was evident from messages intercepted by the police via PGP phones between Taghi and co-defendants, which could only be cracked years later. [9]
Murder of Samir Erraghib
In April 2016, Samir Erraghib was murdered in his car in front of his house in IJsselstein, while his seven year old daughter sat next to him. [10] According to intercepted messages, Taghi believed Erraghib had passed information about his organization to the police and had order the murder. [11] In a separate case, two suspects including the shooter were sentenced to 22 years in prison. [10]
Preparations for murder of Fachtali
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Murder of Abderrahim Belhadj
On 9 May 2016, Abderrahim 'Appie' Belhadj was murdered in the Bijlmermeer, Amsterdam. [12] According to the prosecution, Taghi ordered the liquidation of Abderrahim Belhadj because Belhadj allegedly stole two blocks of cocaine. [13] The shooter of the murder has not been found. The person who lured Belhadj into the trap received an 18-year prison sentence in a separate case on appeal. [12]
Murder of the El Margai brothers
This investigation pertained to the preparation of the murder of the El Margai brothers, Buzhu, and Scekic, and the murder of the latter. Scekic was murdered just before he was due to testify in a criminal case against Taghi in Utrecht. He was allegedly part of a group preparing murders on behalf of Taghi.
Murder of Martin Kok
In June 2016, ex-criminal and crime blogger Martin Kok published on his website Vlinderscrime about two of Taghi's accomplices. In July 2016, an attempt was made to liquidate Kok by placing a bomb under the car he was driving, but it was discovered in time.
On 12 September 2016, Kok wrote on his website about Taghi, Richard R., and Naoufal F. On the afternoon of 8 December in Amsterdam-South, another attempt was made on Kok's life, but the shooter's weapon jammed, unbeknownst to Kok. That same evening, Kok was eventually liquidated in Laren. [14] For luring Kok into a trap, a Scottish man was convicted in a separate case. [15]
Attempted murder of Abdelkarim Ahabad
On 11 October 2016, Abdelkarim Ahabad was the target of an assassination attempt. An assailant approached him with an automatic firearm, after which Ahabad was blocked by a vehicle. He managed to escape the attack unharmed. [16]
Attempted murder of Khalil B.
In the night, Khalil B.'s house was entered by two or three men armed with automatic weapons. B. managed to escape through the window. [17]
Murder of Hakim Changachi
According to the prosecution, Changachi was not the intended target of the murder, but rather Khalid Hmidat. Four other involved suspects, including the two shooters, were convicted in a separate case. [18] A fifth, Justin Jap Tjong, was also involved according to the prosecution, but was murdered for refusing to assist in the second murder attempt on the original target.
Attempted murder of Khalid Hmidat
Khalid Hmidat was the intended target of the liquidation in which Changachi was killed. A few days later, a new murder attempt followed, but Hmidat noticed his pursuers in time and alerted the police. [19] [20]
Crown witness
A significant source for the Public Prosecution Service was the crown witness Nabil B. He was part of Taghi's organization and had arranged getaway cars for the mistaken murder of Hakim Changachi on 12 January 2017. Fearing retaliation from Changachi's family, Nabil B.—after consulting with lawyers—allowed himself to be apprehended on 14 January 2017, after tipping off the police that he was armed near Leidseplein and P.C. Hooftstraat. [a] In this way, he hoped to strike a deal with the authorities.
On 29 June 2021, lawyers of one of the suspects released messages from the crown witness to his girlfriend. [22] This would indicate that the crown witness was after money from the deal. A day later, the lawyer of the crown witness stated that those messages stemmed from anger over the inadequate security provided to the crown witness. [23]
Liquidations around crown witness
In messages the police intercepted Taghi said he would make his entire family 'sleep'. [24] [7] A week after it became known that he had decided to cooperate with the authorities, his brother Reduan was lured into a trap and murdered in March 2018. Family members of Nabil B. had previously warned that the disclosure would pose dangers to the family. [b]
Additionally, on 18 September 2019, his lawyer, Derk Wiersum, was murdered in front of his home in Amsterdam. [c]
The investigative journalist and crime reporter Peter R. de Vries was supporting the crown witness in the trial. On 6 July 2021, he was murdered after leaving the television studio of RTL Boulevard in Amsterdam where he had appeared as a guest. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition. On 15 July he died as a result of the shooting. [28]
