Society

The six who attempted to kidnap then-Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open VLD) in September 2022 go free. There does not appear to be enough evidence to legally link the six Dutchmen to the kidnapping attempt.

Drug gang wanted to eliminate Van Quickenborne
The assignment in 2022 probably came from the highest circles of the Dutch criminal milieu and was specifically directed at then Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne. But it ultimately did not come to that because police and prosecutors discovered the threat just in time. Thus, on September 22, four Dutchmen were stopped in their car in the neighborhood where Van Quickenborne lives in Kortrijk, West Flanders. What they were doing there at the time, they could not tell the police. After identity checks, the foursome were allowed to dispose. But the next day, the threat was only increased by the ponding of a neighbor who lives about a hundred meters from the Belgian minister. She found an abandoned Renault Mégane in her driveway. In the trunk were speed binders, a few bottles of gasoline and a bag of (heavy) weapons. The kidnapping of the minister suddenly appeared to be very close. 

Dutch nationals arrested
Then Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne was immediately placed in a safehouse with his family. The day after, the police picked up the four Dutchmen previously found in the Kortrijk neighborhood in the Dutch town of The Hague and Leidschendam. Indeed, everything pointed to the involvement of these four men in the attempted abduction of the Belgian minister. One of them appeared to have left the Renault Mégane with equipment at the minister's residence. However, they claim that they did not know why this had to be done; they were paid for this job.

The Dutch formally deny that they knew anything about an attempted kidnapping and, unfortunately, there is little evidence to link them to these facts. The Public Prosecutor's Office bet high and went to great lengths to find the principals of the kidnapping plot. But three Dutchmen were released due to lack of evidence, the man who effectively placed the car in the minister's neighborhood is still in jail. Two more intermediaries have since also been arrested. 

Drug lord turns out to be perpetrator, but no evidence
The principal is said to be a known very heavy drug boss, but there is no legal evidence, a judicial source said. Consequently, the prosecution cannot prove who plotted to kidnap the then minister at home in Kortrijk. Consequently, the six Dutchmen can no longer be tried for attempted kidnapping due to lack of evidence. The public prosecutor's office confirms that it "only" wants to see them prosecuted for prohibited carrying of weapons and membership of a criminal organization. So the real principals remain out of harm's way.

(FVDV for Tagtik/Source: Niewsblad - VRT NWS/Illustration picture: Devin Kaselnak for Unsplash)