Expatica news

News in brief – 20 January

20 January 2004

AMSTERDAM — A speaking ban has been imposed on public prosecutor Fred Teeven, preventing him from commenting on investigations into a plot to murder top Amsterdam prosecutor Koos Plooy.

Teeven is not personally accused of publicly releasing details about the case, but staff he has spoken with about the case are alleged to have leaked case details to the press, news agency ANP reported.

Earlier this month it was reported that prosecution officials believe that infamous Yugoslavian criminal Sreten “Jotcha” Jocic is behind the murder plot, but that a conflict had developed within the Public Prosecution Office (OM) about how to proceed.

Prosecutors under the leadership of Teeven wish to make a deal with a criminal in exchange for information about the case, but the College van Procureurs-Generaal (the Attorneys-General Council, which determines prosecution policy) has refused the request.

Identity of three murder victims confirmed

The identity of three men found dead in Rotterdam house on Saturday has been determined. The male victims were aged 21, 22 and 28. The oldest and youngest victims were family members, reportedly brothers.

Autopsies have confirmed the men were victims of foul play and it is rumoured that the deaths were linked to the drugs trade. No arrests have been made and inquiries continue, news agency Novum reported.

New Van Gogh letter found

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam has discovered a new letter from the renowned Dutch artist. The museum will reveal on Thursday who the letter was sent to. It is the first Van Gogh letter to have been found since 1990. In total, about 900 Van Gogh letters have been discovered.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news