21 February 2007

AMSTERDAM – The Supreme Court has determined that the court in Amsterdam must reexamine an earlier court case against terrorism suspect Samir Azzouz. The court in The Hague acquitted Samir A. in November 2005 of preparing a terrorist attack.

The court did not doubt Samir A.’s terrorist intentions at the time, but found the preparations he had made were “in such an early stage and so clumsy” that they posed “no genuine threat in the foreseeable future.” The court judged that A,’s actions were undertaken without the help from others. The public prosecution department (OM) disagreed with the court’s ruling and appealed the case to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court said that the court in The Hague did not adequately look into A.’s “preparatory actions.” One of these actions could be the possession of objects “clearly intended” to be used in a crime. Whether that was indeed the case depends in part on the suspect’s intentions.

The court in Amsterdam will have to look into this further.

The OM claimed that the suspect had floor plans and directions on hand to the government buildings, Schiphol, the nuclear power plant in Borssele and the AIVD headquarters.

He also had information on the security at these buildings and notes on how to use certain weapons and explosives. He also had one or more gun cartridges, a silencer, a bullet-proof vest, weapons, chemicals and other assorted incriminating objects.

A.'s defence lawyer Victor Koppe did not want to comment on the decision until he had the opportunity to study the Supreme Court’s ruling in depth.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2007]

Subject: Dutch news