Man shot dead on Rijswijk terrace had warned police of threats over Turkish extradition
A 41-year-old man fatally shot on a hotel terrace in Rijswijk had previously reported threats to Dutch authorities and was awaiting possible extradition to Turkey, where he was accused of murder, officials confirmed to NOS.
The victim, identified as Cemil Önal, was killed in broad daylight around 5:45 p.m. on a crowded terrace by a man dressed in black who fled the scene. Police say the suspect remains at large. “We are still actively searching for the perpetrator,” a police spokesperson said.
Önal had filed a formal report warning of possible threats to his safety, the Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) confirmed. In a legal proceeding, his attorney stated that Önal feared for his life because of alleged ties to the Gülen movement—a group labeled a terrorist organization by the Turkish government. According to the lawyer, Önal had once sheltered a member of the movement, who was then a political refugee.
Önal had recently been released from custody in the Netherlands and was awaiting a decision on his extradition to Turkey, where he was charged in connection with a 2022 double homicide in Northern Cyprus. One of the victims in that case was Halil Falyali, a businessman who operated luxury hotels, casinos, and gambling websites. Turkish prosecutors accused Önal of being Falyali’s longtime financial manager and claimed he may have orchestrated the killing. Önal denied any involvement.
His attorney disputed the charges, saying, “Client worked for the company of a major mafia boss who blackmailed top-level Turkish politicians and was likely murdered as a result. Now the Turkish authorities are trying to pin the murder on my client.”
Önal also resisted efforts to surrender his confiscated phone, which his lawyer said might contain sensitive information about his alleged ties to the Gülen movement. “If the Turkish authorities get hold of this phone, it will affect his trial. He will be at risk,” the lawyer stated in a motion opposing the phone’s transfer. That objection was denied.
Investigative platform Follow the Money reported earlier that Önal had disclosed to Dutch authorities that he was in danger. Journalist David Davidson, who had been researching Falyali’s gambling empire, confirmed he had spoken with Önal multiple times since his arrival in the Netherlands. Their last meeting was Monday at a restaurant in The Hague.
“He feared an attack on his life,” Davidson told NOS. “He suspected it would come from the direction of the Turkish state. But he was someone within a criminal organization and may have faced danger from multiple sources.”
According to Davidson, Önal had indicated he possessed damaging information about corruption involving politicians—data collected by his former employer. Önal reportedly believed that this information put him at greater risk.
The Dutch OM confirmed both Önal and his attorney had reported potential threats and filed a criminal complaint. However, the agency said there were not enough leads at the time to justify opening a broader investigation. “The OM and the police were in frequent contact with the victim and his lawyer,” an OM spokesperson said.
