Nabil B.

New details about Anouar T., a suspect linked to the daytime assassination of defense attorney Derk Wiersum, were revealed in a court appearance on Wednesday afternoon, with prosecutors revealing portions of a wiretapped conversation which they said are evidence T. was involved in the killing, according to AD reporter Yelle Tieleman tweeting live from the courtroom.

The year 2019 was a busy one for the Netherlands, with elections and strikes, multiple high profile murders and shootings, and a summer full of heat records, severe storms and poisonous caterpillars. Here follows a review of the top ten stories of this year. 

The Court of Appeals sentenced 41-year-old Shurandy S. to 28 years in prison for the murder of Reduan B., the brother of key witness Nabil B., in Amsterdam last year. The court called S. "extremely cold, calculating, and merciless" in its ruling, NOS reports. 

S. was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison. The appeal sentence is equal to what the Public Prosecutor demanded. 

Riduouan Taghi, considered the most wanted fugitive criminal in the Netherlands, is likely staying on Kish - an island in the Persian Gulf, an about two-hour boat ride from Dubai, the Telegraaf reports based on "multiple sources" within and outside the investigative services. The Netherlands has no extradition treaty with Kish.

In July the Telegraaf wrote that Taghi was "almost certainly" hiding in Dubai. 

Defense attorney Derk Wiersum was watched and followed by multiple cars weeks before he was murdered at his Amsterdam home on September 18th, the police said in a statement on Tuesday.

The police believe that a white delivery van was used as a getaway car after the murder of lawyer Derk Wiersum outside his home on Imstenrade in Amsterdam. Witness statements and video footage showed a white vehicle "similar to a Fiat Doblo" driving away from the area immediately after Wiersum was gunned down on Sepember 18th, the police said on Sunday.

Fugitive Ridouan Taghi has been linked to two more murders, three attempted killings and ordering an attack on a spy shop in Nieuwegein, was revealed in a proforma hearing on Tuesday. The criminal group led by Taghi is now suspected of at least nine assassinations and a whole series of attempted murders and never executed murder plans, Het Parool reports.

The Public Prosecution Service will keep using key witnesses, even after the murder of criminal law attorney Derk Wiersum in Amsterdam on Wednesday morning. "We must continue to use the means of key witnesses, otherwise we will get no further in criminal cases. Continue in a motivated way", prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said to Nieuwsuur. He wants more options in the use of such suspects-turned-informants.

The entire Amsterdam city council wants an emergency debate with Mayor Femke Halsema on undermining crime after the murder of criminal law attorney Derk Wiersum in the city on Wednesday morning. Wiersum represented key witness Nabil B., who linked fugitive Ridouan Taghi to a number of gangland assassinations.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte, MPs and lawyers are shocked by the murder of criminal law attorney Derk Wiersum in Amsterdam on Wednesday morning, calling it an attack on the rule of law. "Very disturbing reports", Rutte said to reporters in response to the lawyer's death. Justice Minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus is currently being informed about what the authorities know so far. "As soon as any announcements can be made, that will happen", the Prime Minister said. 

A high-ranking police officer from Utrecht was bribed to work as a corrupt contact for the gang around fugitive criminal Ridouan Taghi, newspaper AD reports after seeing statements made by key witness Nabil B., who worked in this same criminal organization for some time.