Our reporter Saskia Bellleman is present at the case. Follow her live report at the bottom of this post.
His lawyers Yassine Bouchikhi and Haroon Raza said so on Thursday during a first preliminary hearing in the criminal case against the nephew. He was not there himself in the courtroom, which was mainly filled with journalists. According to Bouchikhi, that massive media attention was the reason for his absence.
The Public Prosecution Service is prosecuting Youssef for, among other things, preparatory acts for murder, explosion, extortion, kidnapping and hostage-taking, participation in a criminal organization that was aimed at this, and also drug trafficking, money laundering and arson.
Ridouan Taghi is said to have continued his criminal activities through his lawyer cousin. There was “a humiliating picture of the very thoughtful and covert communication, which was largely criminal in nature.”
Violent EBI outbreak
Moreover, Ridouan Taghi is said to have prepared a violent outbreak from the EBI in Vught through his cousin, in which violence would not be shunned. “Too bad for cell towers, roads are blocked and power gone. The best is when it rains hard,” writes Ridouan Taghi. Also, 1500 liters of oil must be bought “so that cars slip.” And he says he will put a TV in front of the window to indicate what his cell is.
Taghi demands that the outbreak be carried out by “true pros. In the Navy Seal way.” The plan must work because he “else he will die or never see the light of day again.” An alternative plan is to take four prison employees hostage. Cousin Youssef is ordered to find out their addresses. Youssef Taghi says he never gave those names and the employees were never in danger.
Non-disclosure law
According to the Public Prosecution Service, Youssef Taghi has so far refused to answer questions during the five interrogations. He invokes his right of nondisclosure as a lawyer, but according to the Public Prosecution Service, he cannot invoke this. There is no ‘normal’ contact between a lawyer and his client that falls under the secrecy, the officers say.
“Time and again, Youssef trades the lawyer’s oath for participation in highly dangerous schemes and other participation in criminal acts.” The Public Prosecution Service says that Youssef Taghi “undeniably abused the privileges that applied to lawyers in a very gross way. We are appalled that his position has been abused in such a brutal manner by a lawyer.”
Lawyer Taghi mainly communicated with his cousin through written messages. He pressed an IPad with texts against the glass, after which Ridouan Taghi wrote down messages on a notepad, which were thoroughly scratched after Youssef had read them. The Public Prosecution Service is still busy retrieving and interpreting all conversations.
No good
According to Bouchikhi and Raza, things are already going wrong there. The interpretation of the Public Prosecution Service indicates that the talks are no good. Youssef Taghi would have done his best to delay plans. According to Raza, the reports show that Youssef Taghi did not pass on everything and was afraid. “Out of fear. Afraid of doing wrong. Afraid to say,” he is said to have said. He also said that he “didn’t study for six years for this.”
The lawyers think that Youssef has been wrongly presented as the conduit. They want to know who Ridouan Taghi had more contact with in the six months that he communicated with his cousin, in order to determine whether there were more conduit hatches.