Son of murdered Dutch journalist linked to Kinahan associate Taghi's trial told life at risk

Royce de Vries confirmed to a Dutch news agency that he was told by police that they are investigating a tip that someone is plotting to kill him.

Mr de Vries was shot dead on an Amsterdam street on July 6 while he had been assisting a state witness in the trial, only known as Nabil B., who was to testify against Taghi, who has been linked several murders and assassination plots.

The lengthy ongoing trial has been given the name in the Netherlands of the Marengo Process.

Last month the Sunday World revealed how the Dutch military had to be drafted in to help secure the prison at Vught where Dutch-Morrocan gangster Taghi is being held after the authorities received a tip-off Kinahan associates planned to hijack a helicopter to spring him.

While authorities arrested men they believe to be involved in an escape bid last October, they believe a plan is still in place to free Taghi.

It’s understood Taghi, who was a guest at the Dubai wedding of Daniel Kinahan, along with mobsters Ricardo Riquelme Vega, aka El Rico, caged assassin Naoufal Fassih and Italian Camorra boss Raffaele Imperiale, had already paid for his own escape before he was arrested, in a plan which was supposed to be set into action should he not get bail.

Speaking of the why he thinks he may have been targeted, Royce de Vries said: “The only reason I can think of is that, as a lawyer, I represented the innocent sisters of Nabil B. in a civil matter against the State. I put an end to that when my father was shot.

“I was doing that anonymously for security reasons; so confidentially that even other officemates knew nothing about it. However, the investigative services were so careless as to let it leak out, after which it was also reported in the media.”

He added: “I had to promise my own family in the hospital that I would completely take my hands off the procedures for Nabil B.'s family. It was not the time to be cocky.”

Meanwhile, authorities believe the threat has originated from Taghi’s crime gang.

The head of the Public Prosecution Service in the Netherlands, Gerrit van der Burg, has previously said he believes Peter de Vries was murdered because of his role in the Taghi case.

The brother of witness Nabil B was also assassinated, just one week after Nabil turned witness. He had no connection with crime of any kind.