Netherlands extradites woman linked to Madrid shooting of politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras

Authorities in the Netherlands will extradite 27-year-old Chahinez K., who is suspected of involvement in an attempt to assassinate Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras. The Den Bosch woman was the first of three people arrested in the Netherlands in connection with the shooting in Madrid in November.

The International Legal Assistance Centre at the District Court of Amsterdam ruled on Wednesday that the woman can be sent to Spain to face charges in the crime. The Spanish authorities have promised that K. will be allowed to serve her sentence in the Netherlands if convicted.

K. was arrested in the Netherlands at the end of April at the request of the Spanish authorities. She is suspected of financing the assassination attempt and helping to plan the November 9 shooting. The woman denies having anything to do with the attack.

Vidal-Quadras was shot in the head by a suspected hitman. The far-right politician barely survived the attack. He was involved in the founding of the VOX party, a conservative-nationalist splinter group of the Partido Popular. He was also a Member of the European Parliament for Partido Popular.

Since the attack, he has repeatedly said that he believes the Iranian regime was behind the assassination attempt because of his ties to the Iranian opposition.

One of the suspects is K.’s ex-boyfriend, according to her attorney. He is still at large. The woman is alleged to have spontaneously flown to the south of Spain at his invitation, with a plan to then accompany him to Madrid. Detectives in the capital observed her with him, authorities claimed.

She is also said to have transferred an amount of 200 euros, and then 50 euros to him at his request. Three days before the attack, he is said to have transferred 250 euros to an accomplice. “I was simply used,” K. said earlier about the suspicion she financed the crime.

The alleged gunman, a 38-year-old Tunisian man, was arrested in Haarlem on June 9 along with a 27-year-old Colombian man. The two are also suspected of preparing the assassination of an Iranian person living in the Netherlands. That individual is both an activist and journalist.

The Tunisian man was also being held on suspicion of attempted murder for the attack in Madrid. Spain has also requested his extradition.