Dries van Agt

Fmr. PM Dries van Agt suffered a stroke

Jun 4 '19 07:53

Former CDA Prime Minister Dries van Agt had a stroke two weeks ago, his family confirmed. "We were shocked, it was stressful for a few days. Fortunately there is now recovery. My father is conscious, his mental capacities are not affected", the 88-year-old politician's daughter Eugenie van Agt said, De Stentor reports.

"Physically, he had a major blow", Eugenie continued. The left side of Van Agt's body was affected by the stroke. "The doctors are cautiously optimistic, but it is clear that he will need a lot of rest and intense rehabilitation."

Hostage situation at De Punt (day 14), negotiators leave

Fmr. PM wants to testify on 1977 train hijacking

Jul 19 '18 14:20

Crime Politics

Former Prime Minister Dries van Agt will testify in court about the train hijacking at De Punt in 1977 if he is called to do so, he said on NPO Radio 1 program Dit is de dag. At that time Van Agt was Minister of Justice, and the one who gave the order to put an end to the hostage situation. A total of eight people were killed, two hostages and six hijackers.

Commander denies getting orders to kill De Punt train hijackers

May 9 '18 09:51

Crime

A former commander denies ever getting the order not to take Moluccan hijackers prisoner, but to kill them, in liberating a hijacked train at De Punt and occupied primary school Bovensmilde in 1977. "No authority came to me with such an order", the former commander, who coordinated the liberation operation at Bovensmilde, said to the Telegraaf.

Moluccan train hijackers had to die, new witnesses say

May 8 '18 09:49

Crime

Three new witnesses came forward in the trial around the hijacking of a train at De Punt in 1977. The three new witnesses, former officers, say that soldiers who stormed the hijacked train were ordered not to take the Moluccan hijackers prisoner, but to shoot and kill them, the Volkskrant reports.

Dutch politicians react to former PM Lubbers' death

Feb 15 '18 07:57

Politics Top Stories

Former Dutch Prime Minister Ruud Lubbers passed away on Wednesday. He was in poor health for some time, a spokesperson for the 78-year-old CDA politician said. While other politicians knew that Lubbers was not doing well, they are still shocked by his death.

Dutch leader responsible for cannabis tolerance smokes 1st joint at 86

Jan 19 '18 14:20

Politics

Former Prime Minister Dries van Agt smoked his very fist joint at the age of 86 on Wednesday. Despite introducing the cannabis tolerance policy as Minister of Justice in 1976, Van Agt never actually tried weed himself, the association of Dutch coffeeshops PCN said on its site.

Van Agt smoked his first joint on the day that he was awarded the Koos Zwart Award, an prize awarded by the PCN to people who made an extraordinary effort in legalizing and normalizing cannabis.

Fmr. Dutch PM drops his political party over Israel settlements support

Mar 10 '17 12:35

Politics Top Stories

Former Prime Minister Dries van Agt will not be voting for his party the CDA on Wednesday. In a newsletter for foundation The Rights Forum he writes that he is "no longer able to live with his party's stance in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians", NOS reports.

For years Van Agt has been calling for attention to the plight of the Palestinians. He's also been very critical of Israel. For a long time he's considered the course of the CDA as too weak, but now "enough is enough".

Soldiers ordered to kill perpetrators in 1977 train hijacking: report

Oct 18 '16 10:59

Crime

Soldiers deployed to end the 20 day long hostage situation after Moluccans hijacked a train at De Punt in 1977, were told that the Moluccans must not leave the train alive, the lawyer of one of the soldiers said to broadcaster NOS.

Pro-Israel protesters shout down ex-PM in church

Nov 10 '14 13:08

Politics

Former Prime Minister Dries van Agt faced angry pro-Israel protesters on Sunday at Singel kerk in Breda where he was scheduled to read from the Bible.

MPs could debate nuclear weapons in NL

Jan 30 '14 07:47

The secrecy around possible existence of nuclear weapons in the Netherlands should come to an end in favor of an open debate, MPs said yesterday.

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