The Public Prosecution Service (OM) demanded conditional prison sentences and community service against two young men and a minor on Monday for inciting participants to commit terrorist crimes in a Telegram group in 2024.
The minor is also accused of having participated in The Base for over three months. The OM wants the defendants to adhere to special conditions from the probation service to prevent recidivism, including restrictions on the use of social media.
The defendants come from Westerhoven, Veenendaal, and Hengelo and are now 19, 26, and 17 years old. The trial against the 17-year-old was held behind closed doors due to his minority. A conditional prison sentence of 280 days and a community service of 100 hours have been demanded against him. The minor boy has been in pre-trial detention for nearly three months.
The 19-year-old has been in pre-trial detention for over two months. In addition, a conditional prison sentence of 90 days has been demanded against him. The 26-year-old defendant has been in pre-trial detention for over five months. Besides an unconditional prison sentence, as long as the pre-trial detention, the prosecutor has demanded a conditional prison sentence of 30 days.
Amazement
The prosecutor from the National Prosecutors Office expressed amazement at how easily people can come into contact with violent extremism on social media. “As a society, we just cannot keep extremism out of social media. The infrastructure is not in order. The problem is large because social media is very strong in influencing people.”
The defendants had posted messages and images in a Telegram group that promoted serious crimes against, among others, Jews, people of color, and those with a homosexual orientation. The group with dozens of participants was started by the youngest defendant on June 4, 2024, and was named Dutch Culture Defenders (NCV). The minors participation in The Base consisted of making propaganda and recruiting members for The Base. The Base is a far-right, terrorist organization.
With their deliberate statements on Telegram, the defendants have knowingly accepted that others would be incited to commit punishable acts, in this case, committing terrorist crimes. “Far-right incitement is undoubtedly very dangerous for the safety and stability of public order,” said the prosecutor.
Vulnerability
The prosecutor took into account that all defendants are vulnerable, and that this vulnerability played a role in committing the offenses.
The court will rule on March 17.