A judge in a major criminal trial in the Netherlands stepped down over "unacceptable behaviour" by lawyers.
Ridouan Taghi, who was one of Europe's most wanted men when he was captured in Dubai, is accused of 11 murders and assassinations, international drug crimes and running a gang called the Angels of Death.
Sixteen alleged members of the gang are also due to stand trial.
One accusation that led the chief investigative judge to step down is against lawyer Nico Meijering, who is accused of identifying a family member of a prosecution witness in a letter to the judge.
(L/R): Lawyers Juriaan de Vries, Benedicte Ficq, Nico Meijering, Christian Flokstra, Laura ter Steeg (left to right) arrive at an 'extra secure' court at Schiphol, Badhoevedorp, The Netherlands on August 27, 2020, for a pre-trial hearing in the 'Marengo' case. - The case revolves around a series of murders allegedly carried out on behalf of Ridouan Taghi, who was arrested in Dubai in December 2019, and extradited to The Netherlands. (Photo by Sem VAN DER WAL / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT
Police tracked Mr Meijering to Dubai in a surveillance operation in a bid to apprehend Mr Taghi.
The case has been mired in controversy after the brother of a key prosecution witness known as Nabil B and his lawyer Derk Wiersum were assassinated.
The trial judge, who cannot be named, has been sitting on the case, known as the Marengo trial, hearing evidence in private since last July.
A passer-by looks at the flowers that have been deposited outside the office of the shot lawyer Derk Wiersum. - Derk Wiersum, defence lawyer in a major gangland drugs case was shot dead outside his Amsterdam home on September 18, 2019, raising fresh fears that the Netherlands is turning into a "narco-state". (Photo by Koen van Weel / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT
Her withdrawal means all the trial’s evidence hearings in October and November have been cancelled, causing lengthy delays while a new trial judge is appointed.
"Certain statements by some counsel go beyond all standards of decency, in my opinion," she wrote in her withdrawal letter, according to newspaper Het Parool.
"Where one might say it is just words, I find such treatment unacceptable in business dealings between judges, lawyers and prosecutors.
“In addition, I have been accused in various terms of systematically intimidating the defence, systematically favouring the prosecution and ignoring the rights of defence.
"It has also been said that with me staying there would be a constant fear of negative decisions for the defence and bias towards the defence."
Defence lawyers asked for her to step down earlier this year over claims of bias.
Mr Meijering and his colleague Christian Flokstra, said the judge’s withdrawal from the case was unjustified.
“We deeply regret that the examining magistrate has said goodbye to the Marengo trial with this letter full of personal and unfounded grievances towards lawyers,” they said.
“This is unnecessary and does not suit an examining magistrate.”
The trial faced continued delays owing to Wiersum's murder as Nabil B sought to find new legal representation.
Mr Taghi is in a high-security prison in Amsterdam following his deportation from Dubai last December.
An international arrest warrant was issued for him in 2018 and officials issued a €100,000 ($118,200) reward for his capture.
The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.
This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
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According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
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Know before you go
Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
