Belgian Prosecutors seek to charge three Dutch men over plot to kidnap former Justice Minister

©picture alliance/dpa | Carsten Koall

Four years after the kidnapping plans of Dutch criminals from the international drug scene against former Belgian Minister of Justice Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open Vld), the Belgian federal prosecutor's office wants to prosecute three Dutch men for the attempted hostage-taking. The Belgian prosecutor's office confirmed this on Monday, following new investigations.

Six persons will appear before the chambers. Three of them are suspected of attempted hostage-taking, the other three of being a member of a criminal organization.

Federal prosecutor prosecutes three Dutch nationals for attempted hostage-taking of former justice minister Van Quickenborne

On September 22, 2022, Van Quickenborne was told that there was a "very concrete threat" against him. The police found a car with weapons (at least one kalashnikov), speed binders and gasoline bottles near his villa in Kortrijk, West Flanders. The minister and his family were transferred to a safehouse. The vehicle was seized.

Police quickly arrested four Dutch suspects; two more arrests followed. Men aged 20, 29 and 48 were arrested in The Hague, the fourth suspect (21) a day later, also in The Hague. Possibly, the three individuals wanted to kidnap the Justice Minister in the evening, but their plan failed because they were spotted by the police. Furthermore, the perpetrators are said to be in the international drug world. The trio arrested in the Netherlands are said not be the leaders of the organization, but rather the executors. The plan itself would have been concocted abroad with organized crime.

Minister hiding in safehouse with family at secret location

With a video message from his secret hideout, the Belgian minister then paid tribute to the security services. "The foiling of my kidnapping is due to the professional intervention of our security services, who, day and night, are at the steady to protect us," he said. 

©picture alliance/dpa | Carsten Koall - illustration image of the meeting of interior and justice ministers from six European countries regarding organized crime in the port of Antwerp