The Piranha court case (Dutch: Piranhazaak) is a trial of an Islamist terror group — 'Piranha group' — which was a direct successor to the 2002-2004 Hofstadgroup.[1]

Piranha case edit

On December 1, 2006, the District Court of Rotterdam, sitting in 'de Bunker' in Amsterdam Nieuw-West, convicted Samir Azzouz of preparing a terrorist attack and sentenced him to 8 years in prison. Nouriddin El Fahtni and Mohammed Chentouf were sentenced to 4 years in prison, Soumaya Sahla was sentenced to 3 years in prison and Brahim Harhour was sentenced to 3 months in prison. The Court ruled that the six individuals had not formed a terrorist organization.

The defendants lodged appeal with the Court of Appeal in The Hague.

On 2 October 2008 the Court of Appeal sentenced all suspects to higher sentences than those given by the District Court of Rotterdam: Samir Azzouz got 9 years in prison, Nouriddin El Fahtni got 8 years, Mohammed Chentouf got 6 years and Soumaya Sahla was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

Samir Azzouz was released on 6 September 2013. (On 31 August 2022 he [2] — and others[3] — was convicted again for helping Dutch IS women to escape from camps in Syria.[4] )

Piranha II case edit

After the witnesses Lahbib B. and his wife Hanan S. had testified against the defendants in the Piranha case, they were prosecuted themselves.[5] They were charged with participating in a terrorist organization, the preparation of attacks and the possession of several firearms. The District Court of Rotterdam sentenced them to 3 years in prison. The Court of Appeal in The Hague reduced these sentences to 104 days (Lahbib B.) and 74 days (Hanan S.).

Court rulings (Piranah case) edit

Samir Azzouz
01-12-2006 10-600052-05 en 10-600100-06 ECLI:NL:RBROT:2006:AZ3589 8 years
22-07-2009 ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2009:BJ3346 [6]
02-10-2008 GHSGR[citation needed] 9 years
28-08-2013 99/000089-44 ECLI:NL:RBROT:2013:6691 [7]
Mohammed Chentouf[8]
01-12-2006 10-600108-05 en 10-600101-06 ECLI:NL:RBROT:2006:AZ3589 4 years
02-10-2008 22-007384-06 ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2008:BF5180 6;6 years
Nouriddin El Fahtni
01-12-2006 10-600134-05 en 10-600102-06 ECLI:NL:RBROT:2006:AZ3589 4 years
02-10-2008 22-007349-06 ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2008:BF3987 8 years
02-10-2008 10-000354-04 (22-000553-07) ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2008:BF3987 (8 years) [9]
15-11-2011 10-000354-04 (08/04272) ECLI:NL:HR:2011:BP7585 7;4 years [9]
[Suspect][citation needed]
01-12-2006 10-600109-05 en 10-600103-06 ECLI:NL:RBROT:2006:AZ3589 acquitted
02-10-2008 22-007350-06 ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2008:BF5225 3 months
Brahim Harhour
01-12-2006 10-600122-05 en 10-600104-06 ECLI:NL:RBROT:2006:AZ3589 3 months
Soumaya Sahla
01-12-2006 10-600023-06, 10-600093-06 en 10-600046-05 (TUL) ECLI:NL:RBROT:2006:AZ3589 3 years
02-10-2008 22-007351-06 ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2008:BF4814 4 years
15-11-2011 08/04418 ECLI:NL:HR:2011:BP7544
21-09-2012 23-005318-11 ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2012:BY2772 [10]
21-12-2012 23-005318-11 ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2012:BY9310 [11]
25-03-2014 23-005318-11 ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2014:915 3 years
16-02-2016 14/02720 ECLI:NL:HR:2016:241

Court rulings (Piranah II case) edit

Lahbib B.
25-03-2008 10-600111-05 ECLI:NL:RBROT:2008:BC7531 3 years
11-11-2009 22-001605-08 ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2009:BK2957 104 days
06-12-2011 10/01721 ECLI:NL:HR:2011:BR1146
25-03-2014 23-005454-11 ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2014:914 104 days [12]
Hanan S.
25-03-2008 10-600112-05 ECLI:NL:RBROT:2008:BC7539 3 years
11-11-2009 22-001599-08 ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2009:BK2888 74 days
06-12-2011 10/01718 ECLI:NL:HR:2011:BR1144
25-03-2014 23-005455-11 ECLI:NL:GHAMS:2014:905 74 days

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Schuurman, Eijkman & Bakker 2014.
  2. ^ ECLI:NL:RBROT:2022:7335
  3. ^ ECLI:NL:RBROT:2022:7336 and ECLI:NL:RBROT:2022:7337
  4. ^ Rechtspraak 2022.
  5. ^ Novum 2008.
  6. ^ decision about suspension of pre-trial detention
  7. ^ parole (Samir Azzouz was released on 6 September 2013.)
  8. ^ Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken 2007.
  9. ^ a b after the case had been split-up in ECLI:NL:GHSGR:2008:BC4171 (see sub Hofstad Network > Court rulings)
  10. ^ Rejection of the Advocate General's claim to declare the Public Prosecution Service inadmissible in the criminal proceedings.
  11. ^ Decision on requests to hear employees of the AIVD as witnesses
  12. ^ This ruling mentions the incorrect case-number (in Dutch: parketnummer) 10-600112-05

References edit

  • Dutch News (2006-11-06). "Prosecution winds up in Piranha court case". Dutch News. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  • Schuurman, Bart; Eijkman, Quirine; Bakker, Edwin (2014-06-08). "A History of the Hofstadgroup". Perspectives on Terrorism. 8 (4): 65–81. ISSN 2334-3745. JSTOR 26297197.