Four young men who were involved in attacks with homemade fireworks bombs on two rental properties in Drachten in early March were sentenced by the court to community service and, for the person who gave the order, a prison sentence.
These are two 19-year-old men and a 17-year-old suspect from Hoogezand. A 19-year-old resident of Arnhem acted as an intermediary. He had accepted the ‘job’ via Snapchat from an anonymous client, nicknamed ‘Piet Babbeltruc’. He then outsourced the installation of the bombs to one of the suspects from Hoogezand.
He in turn had called in two fellow villagers. The explosions took place on March 4 and 5. Two rental properties on Tynje and Stelpswyk in Drachten were targeted. The ignition of a combination of heavy fireworks – Cobra 6 and nitrates – and gasoline or turpentine caused a fire with explosions and large fireballs.
Windows smashed
The windows at the house on Stelpswyk were smashed a week before the attacks. Nothing is yet known about a motive behind the attacks. Local residents had noted the license plate of the car in which the three from Hoogezand were traveling. This allowed them to be arrested quickly.
The 17-year-old remained in the car during the attacks. He was sentenced to four days’ juvenile detention – equivalent to pre-trial detention – plus 120 days of probation and 30 hours of community service. His two 19-year-old fellow villagers were sentenced to community service of 240 and 180 hours respectively and suspended prison sentences of 9 and 6 months.
The Arnhemmer was given a prison sentence of 16 months, half of which was conditional. The court found it amiss that the suspects only had the quick money in mind and spoke of “a very intrusive and intimidating fact”.