ANP
NOS Nieuws•zaterdag, 16:36
The Vlaardingen plumber, who has been the target of attacks more than ten times, has been banned from the area. He is no longer allowed to enter the neighborhood where there was an attack last night, nor the neighborhood where his home is located. In addition, the possibility of offering tip money to people who help the authorities find the person who ordered the attacks is being explored.
The mayor of Vlaardingen decided this in consultation with the police and the Public Prosecution Service after a fire broke out in a house last night. That house appears to be in the name of the plumber’s mother, according to data from the Land Registry that NOS has requested.
An explosion in that house, which is next to a garage belonging to the plumber, caused a major fire in which three residents, relatives of the plumber, were injured. There are images of last night’s attack, said the mayor of Vlaardingen, Wijbenga. These may be shared with the public at a later stage.
Wijbenga called last night’s attack a terrible low point in a series of attacks against the plumber:
Wijbenga: ‘People have escaped death’
He says he will do everything he can to ensure that the person who ordered the series of explosions is caught. According to him, the Ministry of Justice will manage a separate team that will intensify the search for the client.
Motive unknown
The mayor has closed the plumber’s buildings several times after various attacks since April last year.
The explosions caused a lot of unrest. Many people no longer feel safe. Wijbenga says he sympathizes with the local residents. “Everywhere the plumber goes, there is a threat. Even where he stayed this week.” The mayor says that there is a lot of anger and indignation among local residents that this conflict is being fought on their backs.
Nothing is known about a motive. The plumber previously told the AD that he has no idea who is targeting him.
Several suspects have now been arrested. The Public Prosecution Service has demanded a sentence of 30 months in prison against one of them, 6 of which are conditional. The verdict is next week. A case against a minor suspect also started last week.