Suspect in De Vries shooting linked to Taghi; Crime writer's condition still critical
Delano G., the 21-year-old Rotterdam man suspected of involvement in the attempted assassination of crime writer Peter R. de Vries in Amsterdam on Tuesday, has ties to Ridouan Taghi. G'.s cousin Jaouad 'Joey' W. used to head one of Taghi's "murder gangs", De Telegraaf reported. De Vries is still in hospital in critical condition, his family said in a statement to RTL Boulevard.
The suspects in De Vries' attempted assassination will be arraigned later on Friday. The authorities will likely release more information about the investigation after the arraignment.
De Vries' family said that "a lot remains uncertain" around the crime writer's condition. "It will take time before there is more clarity." For now, the family is grateful for the great care De Vries is receiving in hospital.
G.'s cousin Joey W. was arrested six years ago in the 26Koper investigation, which included the discovery of an enormous weapons arsenal in Nieuwegein. He was convicted of preparing for assassinations and sentenced to 13 years in prison on appeal. According to the Telegraaf, the Public Prosecutor is still investigating his role in several unsolved assassinations.
De Vries was gunned down on Lange Leidsedwarsstraat in Amsterdam at around 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, shortly after he left the RTL Boulevard studio. He was shot multiple times at close range.
Delano G. was arrested less than an hour later, in a car with second suspect Kamil E., on the A4 highway near Leidschendam. The authorities suspect that G. was the gunman who shot De Vries, and E. was the getaway driver.
According to NOS, G. has a long juvenile criminal record including violent muggings, extortion, five domestic burglaries, one attempted burglary, and public violence.
Kamil E., a 35-year-old man from Poland living in Maurik, also has past experience with the law. He is wanted in Poland for a number of thefts and burglaries, and was briefly detained in Maurik last week for making threats.
Joey W. was also connected to Maurik - in the 26Koper investigation, cars prepared to be used in assassinations were parked in Maurik.
The investigation into De Vries' shooting is still ongoing, but a strongly held theory is that he was shot because he acted as confidant for Nabil B., a key witness in the Marengo process around Taghi. B.'s lawyer Derk Wiersum and his brother Reduan were previously assassinated.