FBI warned that Taghi was sending messages from extra secure Dutch prison

The American FBI warned the Dutch authorities in December 2020 that Ridouan Taghi could communicate with the outside world from the extra-security prison in Vught, NRC reports. According to the FBI, “one or more compromised prison guards” meant that Taghi “regularly had means available for unsupervised physical and/or electronic communications with third parties.”

This year, a Dutch investigation codenamed 26Velp revealed that Jaouad F., the eldest son of Taghi’s sister, was trying to corrupt guards at the high-security prison through “bribery, blackmail, and threats.” This was to get a phone to Taghi.

Despite the warning from the FBI, the Dutch authorities admitted Taghi’s relative Youssef to the prison to speak to him as his lawyer. Youssef was arrested at the prison in October last year, accused of passing on Taghi’s messages and helping him plan a prison break. The Ministry of Justice and Security told NRC that in March 2021, when Youssef first started visiting Taghi, there were no grounds to refuse him entry to the prison.

The Public Prosecution Service (OM) told the newspaper that there were indications that Taghi could communicate with the outside world. “This had been investigated, but no hard evidence was found as to whether and how this happened. Therefore, in March 2021, there was insufficient legal ground to refuse this new lawyer.”

The court recently reopened the case around the murder of Peter R. de Vries after information from a new witness. The new witness said that Taghi ordered De Vries murdered, and he gave that order in April 2021 - some fourteen months after the FBI warned the Dutch authorities that Taghi was contacting his accomplices.