The couple married on January 11, 2024 and moved in together a few days later. “That was the start of a lot of misery for the woman,” the court said. His ideas about committing terrorist crimes made her anxious. For example, he said he was prepared to blow himself up on Dam Square if he were asked to do so. He also wanted to go to Israel to ‘commit an attack on a government building there’. In addition, he had knives and an airsoft gun in the house, which only increased the woman’s fear of her husband.
A few days after their wedding, she decided to leave him. He then sent her brother a WhatsApp message stating that what she had done ‘will not go unpunished’ and he will ‘close the chapter in an appropriate way’.
Arson
More than a month after their breakup, the man doused a plastic bag with gasoline, set it on fire and placed it next to a filled gas cylinder near the house in East where his ex was staying. “There was a real possibility that the gas cylinder would explode, possibly causing death to people nearby,” the court said. “It must be clear to the suspect that this behavior is unacceptable.”
The ex-wife reported arson. She also said she feared that her ex had been radicalized. The police then started an investigation.
‘Liberating brothers and sisters’
When searching his home, police found images and videos in which the man “glorifies” the Islamic faith and speaks about “liberating his brothers and sisters from the oppression of infidels through violence.” The man stated about the videos that he kept them to himself and that they gave him ‘a confidence boost‘ gifts. He also said that although he had discussed practicing his religion with his ex, he had not discussed committing terrorist crimes.
But the court sees enough evidence that he did indeed make those kinds of threats. Those statements are comparable to the statements he made in the videos. He also said similar things to a colleague at the supermarket where he worked.
The court believes that a prison sentence of 3.5 years is appropriate in this case. The penalty takes into account the seriousness of the offenses and the safety of society.