Key witness threatens to retract testimony if family isn't better protected
Nabil B., a key witness in multiple investigations into assassinations, is threatening to retract his testimony if his family is not better protected. According to him, the murder of his brother shows that his family is not getting adequate protection, B.'s lawyer Bart Stapert said during a pro-forma hearing in the criminal case against B. on Tuesday, ANP reports.
B. and Mohamed R. are suspected of involvement in the mistaken identity murder of Hakim Chengachi on January 12th, 2017 in Utrecht. B. made a deal with the judiciary, because he was being threatened and had remorse. He made statements about multiple assassinations, also naming Ridouan Taghi as the person who ordered some of these assassinations. Taghi is currently on international wanted lists.
On March 23rd the Public Prosecutor announced that a deal was made with B. Less than a week later, on March 29th, B.'s brother Reduan was shot dead at his company in Amsterdam-Noord.
According to B., the Public Prosecutor wrongly stressed that Redouan only wanted limited security for himself. The Prosecutor kew that Taghi and his followers had announced that everyone around B. would be "put to sleep".
According to lawyer Stapert, B. now stands before an important decision. "If he goes on, he risks more pain for his family. If he withdraws, he risks that those responsible are insufficiently punished", the lawyer said, according to the news wire.
Through Stapert, B. urgently called on Minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus of Justice and Security to better protect his family. Stapert added that he hopes to be able to inform the court soon about whether or not B. will remain a key witness.
