Star journalist murder: alleged De Vries murderers in court

At the beginning of July, the attack in the Amsterdam pedestrian zone rocked the Netherlands: Shots hit star journalist de Vries, who later died in hospital. Now the murder trial begins.

The two men who will be in the dock of the court in Amsterdam from today will have to answer for the murder of star journalist Peter de Vries in Amsterdam at the beginning of July. The trial has to prove that they also acted on behalf of a powerful drug cartel. Many process observers assume that this is the case.

The government and royal family in the Netherlands spoke of an attack on the rule of law. And Justice Minister Fred Grapperhaus also did not rule out that the drug mafia had commissioned another assassination attempt. “A monster that will keep biting if we don’t do anything,” he said. “And we have to tackle it now.”

The alleged 22-year-old shooter from Tiel and his 35-year-old accomplice from Maurik are accused. He is said to have driven the getaway car in which both defendants were stopped on the highway a short time after the attack.

Fight against organized crime too

The shots at de Vries in the middle of a busy Amsterdam pedestrian zone had shocked the Dutch. Especially when the TV journalist died in hospital around a week and a half later. He was admired by an audience of millions. With his own wanted TV show he had made a name for himself as an educator and campaigner for justice.

De Vries’ career began with his book about the kidnapping of the beer billionaire Heineken. In recent years he has also fought increasingly against organized crime – and he was on a death list of the drug mafia, also spoke about it publicly: “I am vigilant, but I am not afraid,” he said. “If I were afraid, I would be a surgeon who operates with trembling hands. And that usually doesn’t result in the best operations.”

Why no personal protection?

Why de Vries had no personal protection has still not been conclusively clarified. The man behind the assassination attempt on him is said to be a drug mafia boss, against whom a process has been going on in the Netherlands since 2019. De Vries had advised the key witness in this court case to the very end. The attorney and brother of this witness had also been shot earlier. Other contract killings are also said to be attributable to this drug cartel, reports the Dutch media.

The two now accused alleged assassins are also said to have been filmed by surveillance cameras. So far, however, they have remained silent, also when it comes to their potential clients. It is questionable whether they will testify in court.