Dutch news in brief, 4 November 2005

Schiphol fire survivor freed by court

A court at Schiphol ordered the release of a suspected drug smuggler on Friday to allow her to come to terms with the fire that killed 11 inmates at the airport’s detention centre in October. Her lawyer said the court felt the woman had to be allowed to deal with her trauma “outside the walls of a prison”. The woman was in custody on suspicion of smuggling six kilos of cocaine into the country.

TomTom owners richer than Beatrix

Harold and Corinne Goddijnthan, founders of the company that makes the TomTom car navigation system, are worth EUR 1.4 billion. Business magazine ‘Quote’ said on Friday that the stock market debut of their company puts them 12th in the list of the 500 richest people in the Netherlands. Queen Beatrix and the Dutch Royal family are in 16th place with EUR 1.1 billion. The Brenninkmeijer family, owner of the C&A department store, is in first place. The family is worth EUR 12.5 billion, according to ‘Quote’.

Passenger numbers pick up speed

Dutch rail company NS said on Friday that more and more motorists are opting to take the train. Passenger numbers are up by 3.4 percent so far this year compared to the same period last year. NS director Bert Meerstadt said this amounted to 3,400 more passengers every day. He expects the percentage in crease to move closer to 4 percent in the last few weeks of the year. The NS had set itself the target of a 1 percent increase in passengers in 2005.

Man admits collision with police officer

A man, 19, has admitted responsibility for an incident three weeks ago near Rotterdam when a motorbike police officer was run over by a stolen car. The officer lost part of one leg and his condition is described as “worrisome”. It is unclear whether the man wanted to injure the officer. Three other people have also been questioned about the incident. One man is suspended of burning the car after the collision.

2,500 kilos of fireworks seized

Police seized 2,500 kilos of fireworks in a garage box in Alkmaar on Friday. The haul was made up of fireworks that are so powerful it is illegal to sell them to the public. There were 60 boxes with “flowerbed” fireworks and a van filled with more fireworks. Police are looking for the owner of the vehicle.

Subject: Dutch news