Main suspect in The Hague fatal explosion confessed “from the start,” prosecutors claim

The alleged main suspect in the devastating explosion at the Tarwekamp in the Mariahoeve district of The Hague broke down and admitted guilt almost immediately, prosecutors said. Moshtag B., 33, confessed “from the start” the Public Prosecution Service (OM) stated on Friday during the first public hearing into the criminal case. He is one of four men suspected of involvement in the incident that left six people dead, injured four others, and displaced dozens more after the explosion grew into a major fire that hit the apartment block in December.

B. was one of three defendants present in court for the status hearing, with the trial unlikely to take place until next year. B.’s lawyer, Gerard Spong, said that his client has enormous regret, and that is why he confessed immediately. All four suspects were remanded into pre-trial detention for an additional 90 days despite their attorneys’ arguments for their release.

B. allegedly plotted to take revenge on his ex-girlfriend, because he believed she had cheated on him. The woman was the owner of the bridal fashion shop at the ground floor of the building that was hit by the explosion. The Public Prosecution Service accused B. and two co-suspects of murder or manslaughter due to arson, as well as conspiring to commit the attack, and other related charges.

The prosecutors in the case said the current suspicion is that the defendants intended to commit the attack on December 1. That night, the police arrested two of the four suspects in a parking lot in Oosterhout. They were in a van with fourteen jerry cans full of gasoline, and also heavy fireworks. The two were detained and released after questioning.

Nearly 200 liters of gasoline was used when suspects Ilias B. and Mourad B. set the fire on December 7, the OM stated. The explosion was so massive because it was ignited in a closed space, according to the Public Prosecution Service. Mourad B. was not present at the hearing on Friday. He has so far invoked his right to remain silent, but he plans to give a statement, according to his lawyer.

The investigation is largely complete, the OM said in its update. Witnesses and those affected by the tragedy are still being interviewed, including relatives of the victims who died. The Public Prosecution Service commissioned a digital reconstruction of the arson and the explosion. The Dutch Forensics Institute still needs a few months to be able to present its results. A behavioral investigation is also being conducted to evaluate the main suspect, Moshtag B.

The two prosecutors were unnerved that “the entire criminal file” had apparently been leaked to the press in the run-up to the hearing. They said it is impossible to determine how and by whom. They pointed out that leaking case file documents adds “extra suffering” to victims and relatives. “In this way, they are confronted with very detailed investigation findings of which they were not yet aware.” Several lawyers, including those representing surviving family, also expressed their disapproval of the leaking.

The Public Prosecution Service asked the court to extend the pre-trial detention of the four suspects. The district court can order criminal suspects to serve up to 90 days of detention at a time, which is able to be extended as the trial date draws nearer.

The criminal trial concerning the explosion will not be heard until next year. The court in The Hague shared what is currently the schedule for the coming months during the hearing.

The OM stated that they needed another six months to finish the criminal file. The suspect’s lawyers also have different investigation wishes.

The next hearing, which is also a preliminary hearing, is on May 26. Another hearing will follow this in August, and then it will be considered whether all parties are ready to begin the trial.

Many people and journalists were present during the preliminary hearing on Friday. Three video rooms were installed at the court so that all the visitors could follow the hearing.