The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) has identified the four suspects in the deadly explosion at Tarwekamp in The Hague last month after a deliberate blast targeting a bridal fashion store caused catastrophic destruction resulting in the death of six people and leaving four others seriously injured.
In a statement on Friday, the OM named Afghan-born 33-year-old Moshtag B. as the main suspect, who is believed to have been aided and abetted by Ilyas (23), Mourad (29), and Adil (33).
De Telegraaf newspaper reported the men as being from Rotterdam, Roosendaal, and Oosterhout. No further details about the identities of the men or their migration background were disclosed.
Reporting restrictions surrounding the suspects were lifted on Friday.
According to the OM, Moshtag B. initiated the attack targeting the bridal fashion store. The suspect allegedly knew the store owner and sought help from his three accomplices. Together, they prepared and executed the arson and explosion on Dec. 7, and the three accomplices were reportedly offered €500 each to torch the premises.
The blast left six people dead, four others seriously injured, and displaced dozens of residents who are still unable to return home and are unlikely to be able to do so for months due to the extensive structural damage inflicted.
The suspects had reportedly planned to carry out the attack earlier, on the night of Dec. 1. However, their plans were thwarted when police stopped their van in a parking lot in Oosterhout at 2:15 a.m. The vehicle’s suspicious behavior prompted officers to conduct a search, during which they found heavy fireworks and jerry cans filled with gasoline.
The men were arrested on suspicion of preparatory acts for arson, and the items, along with their van and phones, were confiscated. The suspects, however, were released after questioning while authorities continued analyzing the evidence that enabled the attack a week later.
A total of 37 criminal complaints have been filed with authorities in relation to the attack, including declarations from residents, relatives, and local business owners who have suffered loss.
“The havoc and the victims were never the intention. My client regrets everything,” said Gerard Spong, defense counsel for Moshtag B., as cited by De Telegraaf.
The suspects are scheduled to appear in court on March 14 for a preliminary hearing.
