Friday, 17 June 2016 - 15:10
Supermarket extortionist could get 8 years in jail
On Friday the Public Prosecutor demanded an 8 year prison sentence against Alex O., the man suspected of trying to extort money from supermarket chain Jumbo by placing explosives and making bomb threats, ANP reports.
The "Jumbo extortionist" threatened several Jumbo stores with explosions, placed explosives at two sites in Groningen - one of which actually exploded, damaging a window - and sent a branch in Zwolle a birthday card containing a small amount of explosive substance. He demanded a large amount in Bitcoins for the explosions to stop.
The 51-year-old O. was arrested along with his son in mid-October last year. The son is not being prosecuted.
In court on Friday O. again denied being the man behind the extortion and explosives. He also made it very clear that he does not trust the Public Prosecutor and answered all of the prosecutor's Questions with: "I do not answer questions from police and judiciary". All previous questionings went about the same.
O. he previously requested that the court officially say that his son is not a suspect in the case. According to him, the Public Prosecutor did a horrible job in reporting that his son was released.