“It is often said that insults dont hurt. But words do matter. You might be sitting quietly on the tram, and then nasty things are said against you.” This is the case of a 31-year-old man from The Hague, suspected of group insult and incitement to a terrorist crime.
Incitement to a Terrorist Crime
In April last year, the man posted in a Telegram group: “I really want to carry out a genocide attack on a well-visited mosque. But I don’t want to do it alone. And no one wants to join me.” A video of this message was shared with the police, leading to his arrest on September 4, 2024.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, there is incitement to a terrorist crime. The suspect has incited a criminal act with this statement. The Public Prosecution Service believes there was intent since he made the statement in a public Telegram group with nearly 2000 members. The suspect accepted a considerable chance that someone would interpret his statement as encouragement to commit a criminal act. This statement instilled serious fear in the Muslim community.
Group Insult
The man is also suspected of group insult and insult with a discriminatory aspect in a tram last year. He allegedly insulted a man on August 29, 2024, calling him a cancer homo. In a video shared on social media, the suspect can be heard saying: Ew ew, what a cancer homo you are, even white nail polish on his toes. When a bystander defended the victim, the suspect said: people like you make these demons accepted. The Public Prosecution Service qualifies this statement as group insult. The suspect has thereby placed a group of people with homosexual orientation in a bad light by calling them demons.
The video of this tram incident went viral almost immediately, causing much unrest and shocked reactions throughout the country. A few days before this tram incident, the suspect called someone else a cancer Dutchman, which is why he is also suspected of another insult with a discriminatory aspect.
“These words from the suspect hurt people for who they are. Such incidents also contribute to people not daring to be themselves on the street or in the tram, reinforcing feelings of insecurity,” said the Public Prosecution Service.
Demand
The Public Prosecution Service demanded a prison sentence of 120 days, of which 105 days conditionally with a deduction of the 15 days the suspect has already spent in pre-trial detention. According to the Public Prosecution Service, this conditional part should be linked to a probation period of 3 years and special conditions as formulated by probation services. Additionally, a community service of 120 hours.
The court will deliver a verdict in two weeks.