Two men attempt to attack suspect accused of destroying graves during hearing in Utrecht

Two men attempted to attack a suspect during a hearing at the court in Utrecht on Thursday. Officers were able to restrain the two men before they got to Mohamed B., who is accused of destroying 117 graves at the Daelwijck cemetery in Overvecht, Utrecht. The two men were removed from the court after the incident.

B. allegedly kicked and smashed the graves with a hammer in May of last year. The Public Prosecution Service (OM) has recommended that the 22-year-old from Vleuten be given a five-year prison sentence. “The destruction saddened hundreds of people,” the prosecutor said.

There was a lack of evidence to charge B. with terrorism-related motives. A few months ago, the OM suspected B. of participating with a terrorist group and preparing severe crimes like explosions. It was reported at the time that B. almost left the country to go to Somalia to join ISIS.

B. says that he has come to his senses after his radicalization, but according to the Public Prosecution Service, there is every reason to doubt that claim.

However, the suspect left no signs to make it clear to people that this was a part of an act of terrorism. Despite this, the OM maintained that the way in which the vandal went about his work had the characteristics of jihadist ideology.

B. mostly targeted standing gravestones and photos of the deceased. He confessed to having vandalized around 20 graves, but the prosecutors do not believe his confession. Parts of the vandalism were filmed by B. with his phone. He shared videos of his acts online in chat groups.