The court in Rotterdam is taking longer to settle the criminal cases against ten summoned but absent terror suspects. The criminal cases of a good number of them have been postponed until January 2018 because the court attaches great importance to the right of attendance.
These alleged jihadists were summoned by the prosecution in February and March but did not appear at the hearing. The Public Prosecution Service then announced its intention to structurally prosecute jihadists in absentia. Through social media such as Facebook and through family members, the OM tried to inform as many suspects as possible of their summons. In a number of cases it is not clear whether this was successful.
"Although an expeditious handling of a criminal case is generally very welcome, under these special circumstances precisely a little less haste may be in the interest of proper justice," the court said Monday. Some defendants have expressed a desire to be present at their trial, others are not known.
One defendant did waive his right to be present at the hearing. His case will be heard on Sept. 12.
In the case of one defendant, the court determined that it is unclear whether he is still alive. The court is holding that case indefinitely until this is clarified.
The Public Prosecutor's Office expects about two hundred Dutch jihadists to return drop by drop after a defeat of IS. With a guilty verdict in hand, the Public Prosecutor's Office wants to be able to arrest and detain these fighters immediately. After such a default judgment, the suspects could then appeal upon arrest, is the thought.
