Latest news with #AlgemeenDagblad
Ya Biladi
25-06-2025
- Ya Biladi
Cousin of Ridouan Taghi caught attempting escape to Morocco
Spanish police arrested Ridouan Taghi's cousin, a key figure in the «Mocro Maffia» in the Netherlands, last Saturday. Firas Taghi was caught at the Tarifa border crossing while preparing to flee to Morocco. According to sources close to the ongoing investigations, the Dutch media outlet Algemeen Dagblad (AD) reported on Wednesday that the 24-year-old is linked to an international drug trafficking investigation. Firas Taghi's name first appeared in police investigations in 2020, connected to plans to help Ridouan escape following his extradition from Dubai to the Netherlands, where he is now held in a maximum-security prison. Ridouan Taghi has since been sentenced to life imprisonment. Along with his brother, the nephew allegedly contacted individuals to facilitate his relative's prison escape. The same sources say he also attracted authorities' attention again in 2021. He is now suspected of money laundering, with €8,000 in cash found at his home, as well as other criminal activities. AD reports that he is allegedly involved in a drug trafficking network operating in the Betuwe region, linked to «El Chapo van Tricht», a major figure in international trafficking. Last week, police carried out several raids on homes in Gelderland. Specialized teams seized drugs, cash, cryptocurrencies, luxury cars, safes containing weapons and valuables, along with phones and computers. The operation led to two arrests. Investigators say the group operated on a large scale, trafficking hard and synthetic drugs, including party drugs.
Gulf Insider
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
"We'll Do It Ourselves!" Dutch Vigilantes Stop Cars At German Border In Protest Over Illegal Migration
A group of Dutch citizens staged an unauthorized border control operation this weekend between Ter Apel and the German village of Rütenbrock, citing frustration with what they describe as uncontrolled illegal immigration. Wearing reflective clothing and wielding torches, the group of around 12 men began stopping vehicles on Saturday evening along the N366, a key route between Germany and the Netherlands. The vigilantes, who pulled cars over and even inspected trunks, say they took action because authorities are failing to secure the border and stem the flow of asylum seekers entering the country. 'Nothing is happening. Then we'll do it ourselves,' said one activist, as cited by Algemeen Dagblad. The action, although brief, drew sharp criticism from police and government officials. The municipality of Westerwolde and Dutch police released a joint statement declaring that 'citizens are forbidden to stop cars' and that such actions 'create enormously dangerous situations' and are 'really unacceptable.' The vigilantes are believed to have violated road traffic laws, though it is unclear whether any formal charges will be brought. 🇳🇱‼️ Dutch vigilantes fed up with illegal immigration set up their own border controls with Germany this weekend, between Ter Apel and Rü Wilders, the PVV leader who just collapsed the Dutch government over asylum red lines, called it a "fantastic initiative." — Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) June 8, 2025 One vehicle stopped by the group turned out to be a German police van. The officers promptly ordered the group to leave German soil, threatening to tow their vehicles if they did not comply. The activists relocated their checkpoint to a parking lot on the Dutch side of the border and continued stopping traffic from Germany. The group, reportedly organized via Facebook, primarily includes residents from the municipality of Westerwolde. Outgoing Justice and Migration Minister David van Weel, of the center-right VVD, responded by urging the group to stop. 'I understand the frustration, but I really call on this group not to do this,' he said. 'Let the police and military police do their job and abide by the law.' Van Weel acknowledged the Netherlands 'cannot handle the current influx,' but insisted that border enforcement must remain the responsibility of the authorities. Mayor Jaap Velema of Westerwolde expressed sympathy for the frustrations, citing 'the lack of solutions to the crisis in asylum reception,' but warned: 'This is not the way to express frustrations. We can't all drive through red lights either.' Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-immigration PVV party, praised the citizens' actions on X, calling it a 'fantastic initiative' and adding, 'If [Prime Minister] Schoof and the VVD do not immediately deploy the army en masse for this, we will have to do it ourselves! I would like to participate next time!' Fantastisch overal aan de grens moeten gebeuren. Als Schoof en de VVD het leger niet meteen massaal hiervoor inzetten, moeten we het zelf maar doen!Ik wil de volgende keer graag meedoen!#asielstop #PVVOP1 #PVV — Geert Wilders (@geertwilderspvv) June 8, 2025 Wilders has been vocal about tightening the Dutch asylum regime. His party recently withdrew from the governing coalition after other parties refused to adopt his 10-point plan for what he called 'the strictest asylum policy ever.' The cabinet's collapse triggered early elections, which are scheduled to take place on Oct. 29, 2025. Van Weel reiterated the government's focus on 'stricter asylum laws and better border control.' Wilders, however, responded by accusing him of inaction. 'Weakling. You don't do anything at all. You could have had the army guard the borders now and sent away all asylum seekers on the basis of Article 72 TFEU, just like the Germans do,' he posted on social media. 'If people are frustrated, it is because the VVD is completely failing.' Ter Apel is the home of the Netherlands' largest asylum reception center, where officially around 2,000 asylum seekers are currently housed. In March, residents of Nieuw-Weerdinge, a Dutch town between Ter Apel and the nearest city of Emmen, launched a fundraiser in support of a 51-year-old local man convicted of assaulting an Algerian asylum seeker during an attempted citizen's arrest. He was found to have confronted an Algerian national from the reception center for allegedly stealing €40 from a delivery van. The town has established its own neighborhood watch app used by concerned residents to ensure anyone acting suspiciously in the area is identified after a surge in crime.
Arab Times
21-05-2025
- Arab Times
Mass stabbing in Netherlands leaves several injured, including a police officer
NETHERLANDS, May 21: Multiple people have been injured in a mass stabbing incident early this morning in Hoofddorp, a town in the Haarlemmermeer district of northern Holland. Among the victims, a police officer was reported injured, and at least one individual is said to be in very serious condition. Emergency services responded to the scene at Fanny Blankers-Koenlaan around 6 a.m. local time (4 a.m. GMT), where they found multiple victims. The police confirmed in a statement that the incident involved several individuals, including a police officer. Multiple ambulances and trauma teams were dispatched to the area. Local media reported that the injured officer was taken to the hospital, and one police car was seen 'smeared with blood.' Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the incident, and investigations are ongoing. The police have cordoned off the street as they continue to assess the situation. Fanny Blankers-Koenlaan is known to be a residential facility that serves people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, although it remains unclear if the facility was directly involved in the incident. A trauma helicopter, along with at least six ambulances and two trauma teams, were seen at the scene, according to reports from the Algemeen Dagblad. Footage from the area shows a police cordon around the location, with ambulances parked nearby and officers standing by. Police have not disclosed the identities of the injured victims or the specific nature of their injuries, beyond confirming that one person is in serious condition. Authorities have yet to provide information on any arrests made. More details are expected to be released later.
Sky News
29-04-2025
- Sky News
Child damages Rothko painting worth tens of millions of pounds in Rotterdam
A child has damaged a huge painting thought to be worth tens of millions of pounds in the Netherlands. The abstract artwork, named "Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8", by Mark Rothko was on public display in a storage facility next to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam when it sustained "superficial damage". A spokesperson for the museum told Sky News that a child "touched the painting when it was on display". They added in a statement: "As a result, small scratches are visible in the unvarnished paint layer in the lower part of the painting. "Conservation expertise has been sought in the Netherlands and abroad. We are currently researching the next steps for the treatment of the painting. We expect that the work will be able to be shown again in the future." The museum did not reveal how it much thought the painting was worth or the expected cost of any repair work. Prominent Dutch art collector Bert Kreuk estimated three years ago that the painting would potentially sell for between €40m (£34m) to €50m (£42m), the Algemeen Dagblad news site in the Netherlands reports. A museum spokesperson also told the news service that the Rothko painting was damaged during an "unguarded moment". The abstract artwork had reportedly been the centrepiece of the museum before the building was closed for renovation. The painting is therefore currently on display in a nearby art storage facility which contains the museum's entire collection and is open to the public. Rothko was born in a part of Russia which is now Latvia in 1903 but moved to America as a child. The artist, who died in 1970, was best known for his "colour field" paintings and many of his works have sold for tens of millions of pounds. Rothko's 1958 work, Black on Maroon was deliberately vandalised at London's Tate Modern gallery in October 2012. Wlodzimierz Umaniec was sent to prison for two years for the defacing the painting. During his trial, prosecuting barrister Gregor McKinley said the cost of repairing the work would be about £200,000.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Child damages Rothko painting worth tens of millions of pounds in Rotterdam
A child has damaged a huge painting thought to be worth tens of millions of pounds in the Netherlands. The abstract artwork, named "Grey, Orange on Maroon, No. 8", by Mark Rothko was on public display in a storage facility next to the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam when it sustained "superficial damage". A spokesperson for the museum told Sky News that a child "touched the painting when it was on display". They added in a statement: "As a result, small scratches are visible in the unvarnished paint layer in the lower part of the painting. "Conservation expertise has been sought in the Netherlands and abroad. We are currently researching the next steps for the treatment of the painting. We expect that the work will be able to be shown again in the future." The museum did not reveal how it much thought the painting was worth or the expected cost of any repair work. Prominent Dutch art collector Bert Kreuk estimated three years ago that the painting would potentially sell for between €40m (£34m) to €50m (£42m), the Algemeen Dagblad news site in the Netherlands reports. A museum spokesperson also told the news service that the Rothko painting was damaged during an "unguarded moment". The abstract artwork had reportedly been the centrepiece of the museum before the building was closed for renovation. The painting is therefore currently on display in a nearby art storage facility which contains the museum's entire collection and is open to the public. Read more from Sky News:Rothko was born in a part of Russia which is now Latvia in 1903 but moved to America as a child. The artist, who died in 1970, was best known for his "colour field" paintings and many of his works have sold for tens of millions of pounds. Rothko's 1958 work, Black on Maroon was deliberately vandalised at London's Tate Modern gallery in October 2012. Wlodzimierz Umaniec was sent to prison for two years for the defacing the painting. During his trial, prosecuting barrister Gregor McKinley said the cost of repairing the work would be about £200,000. It took conservators 18 months to repair the painting.
