Court continues with case lawyer cousin Ridouan Taghi

The court in Amsterdam will continue on Monday with an introductory hearing in the criminal case against Youssef T. (38), former lawyer and cousin of Ridouan Taghi, the main suspect in the large-scale liquidation process Marengo. The Public Prosecution Service suspects T. that he was the link between the detainee Taghi and the outside world and that he helped him make plans for a violent outbreak or escape.

Taghi (44) has been detained in the Extra Secure Institution (EBI) in Vught since his arrest in December 2019. Last year, T. visited him there dozens of times, in his capacity as a lawyer. Over time, the judiciary got serious suspicions that the two were discussing very different things than legal problems. An investigation was then launched, during which both men were also tapped and filmed with hidden cameras during the visits. On October 8, T. was arrested as a suspect, during a visit to Taghi in the EBI. He’s been stuck ever since.

At the session of 14 April, the Public Prosecution Service presented an image presentation of that investigation. According to the judiciary, this shows how much Taghi and his cousin have communicated “in a cunning manner”. The images show that the two read each other’s written notes and then scratch them again. According to the OM, T. shows Taghi chat messages on his iPad from suspected accomplices from outside the prison walls.

The two lawyers of T. felt surprised by the visualization of the Public Prosecution Service announced shortly in advance. The court granted their request to prepare a response to the material. They will do that on Monday. On April 14, T. stayed away from the hearing, because according to his lawyers he “does not feel like a show trial”. It is possible that he will make his appearance in court on Monday.