Prison demanded for grenade attacks on Delft coffeeshops

Prosecutors are seeking stiff sentence against two suspects accused of detonating hand grenades at two coffeeshops in Delft. At least one person was hurt in the explosions on May 17, 2018, the Public Prosecutor’s Office (OM) said in a statement.

Authorities asked the court to send a 42-year-old man from Den Haag and a 24-year-old man from Delft to prison for the attacks, possession of firearms, and possession of hand grenades. The OM wants the one to be sent to prison for 12 years and the other for 8 years.

In their court case, the prosecution said the two defendants were on a scooter that stopped directly below a security camera on Peperstraat. The person on the back of the scooter removed a grenade from a bag, put it in his pocket, and walked down the street, the OM said.

In another video, the masked man can be seen placing a grenade on a door handle, then running away. It exploded a short time later after falling off the door and rolling into the street.

Shrapnel caused extensive damage to several facades and apartments dozens of meters away. A tourist walking to the train received facial lacerations from the blast.

DNA found on the handle and pin of the grenade were linked to the 42-year-old, the OM said. The two were found together in a car at a checkpoint in Noordwijk a month later. The two suspects were linked to each other on the day of the attack by messages sent between them, the OM continued.

The grenade attack was part of a string of violent assaults in the Delft area, including dozens of shots fired at coffeeshop The Future and the Sunstyle tanning salon on Peperstraat. The Future, and coffeeshop The Game on Breestraat, were the targets of the grenades.

Defense attorneys were expected to give closing arguments on Friday. The verdict will be announced on October 25.