Dutch police arrest suspected Syrian pro-government militia member

Reuters
·1 min read

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Dutch police arrested a 34-year-old man suspected of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity as a member of a pro-government, non-Shi'ite militia in Syria on Tuesday, the public prosecution service said.

The man, who was not named, had been living in the Netherlands since 2020 and had applied for asylum there.

It is the first time the Dutch authorities have arrested a war crimes suspect accused of fighting on the side of the government of president Bashar al-Assad during the conflict.

"The suspect is said to have been part of the pro-regime militia Liwa al-Quds, that works closely with the Syrian intelligence services and the Russian armed forces," the public prosecution service said in a statement.

The suspect was involved in the violent arrest of a Syrian citizen who was later tortured in a prison run by Syrian Air Force intelligence, according to prosecutors.

Previously the Dutch courts have convicted several Syrian nationals of war crimes who were members of opposition and Islamist militias in Syria.

Such cases are prosecuted in the Netherlands under "universal jurisdiction" principles, which say suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity can be prosecuted abroad if they cannot be tried in country where they were allegedly committed.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • Skydance expects to more than double its revenue in coming years, WSJ reports

    Skydance expects to make just over $1 billion in revenue in 2024 with Ebitda of $90 million, and in 2025 expects $2.29 billion in revenue and $322 million in Ebitda, the report added, citing people familiar with the matter. Paramount is currently engaged in exclusive deal talks with Skydance Media, an independent studio led by David Ellison, though some investors have urged Paramount to explore other options. Skydance did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

  • Sask Rivers board discusses SSBA Spring Assembly

    During their regular meeting on Monday, the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division board of education discussed the Saskatchewan School Boards Association (SSBA) Spring Assembly on April 11-12 in Saskatoon. The theme of the conference was ‘Forward Focus’. "There were lots of different professional development opportunities for the board that took place,” director of education Neil Finch said. According to a school division press release, trustees had the opportunity to gain valuable professional de

  • Omaha police remove man for entering Underwood Tower to inspect reports of mold and bed bugs

    Community advocates send air quality consultant into building after KETV investigation.

  • Police: Suspect in custody in connection with armed bank robbery in Fairfield Twp.

    Police: Suspect in custody in connection with armed bank robbery in Fairfield Twp.

  • Flipped semi closes all lanes on northbound I-71 in Lytle Tunnel

    Flipped semi closes all lanes on northbound I-71 in Lytle Tunnel

  • New collection by Billy-Ray Belcourt brings northern Alberta characters into his readers’ orbit

    In his fifth book Coexistence, Billy-Ray Belcourt (Driftpile Cree Nation) shares a collection of short stories that moves through Indigenous love, loss, queerness and hope. Themes of identity, belonging, past and present flow through each of the stories. Belcourt burst onto the literary scene in 2017 with his book of poetry This Wound is a World, winning multiple awards. Subsequent bestselling novels continued to bring recognition to the author, including the 2019 Inspire Award. Belcourt is now

  • Claudia Winkleman says men on The Traitors were ‘threatened’ by smart women

    Winkleman previously said she had originally turned down the offer to host the hit BBC programme.

  • China may be shaking out of its slump, and its economy could grow 5% this year after a surprising first-quarter performance, BofA says

    BofA still doesn't expect "a full-blown growth rebound" as China grapples with a real estate crisis and weak consumer demand.

  • Saint John wants feedback on map for north end plan

    What counts as the north end in Saint John? That's what city planners are looking to define as part of consultations on the North End Neighbourhood Plan, Saint John's growth committee heard Tuesday. The initiative is part of how the city is spending its federal housing funding from the Housing Accelerator Fund. "We want the plan to be big enough but small enough that we can really give focus to each neighbourhood," community planning manager Jennifer Kirchner told the city's growth committee Tue

  • New sports complex opens at Hiram Johnson High School in Sacramento

    Students, staff and alumni are celebrating the grand opening of a new sports complex at a high school in Sacramento. A special ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Thursday at Hiram Johnson High School to officially open the school’s sports complex.

  • Woman ‘almost died’ trying to cure cancer with juice diet

    Doctors said they repeatedly tried to persuade her to start medical treatment.

  • EastEnders confirms surprise proposal in Jay and Honey marathon story

    EastEnders has confirmed a surprise proposal in Jay and Honey's marathon story.

  • Celsius Holdings Inc CFO Jarrod Langhans Sells Company Shares

    Celsius Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:CELH), a global company with a proprietary, clinically proven formula for its brand of fitness drinks, has reported an insider sale according to a recent SEC filing.

  • Reds hope to get back on-track against LA Angels

    The Cincinnati Reds were swept by Seattle this week, but hoping to bounce-back in a home series against the Angels.

  • Housing Market 2024: 50 Most Affordable ZIP Codes in America To Buy Your First Home

    For many Americans, homeownership still feels like a distant dream. Between student loan payments and the rising cost of many items -- least of all groceries -- you may think you simply can't afford...

  • 5 Cities That Are Getting Big Home Price Cuts — Should You Consider Buying There?

    If you're looking to buy a home in 2024, you probably won't get much relief from the historically high prices and general cost of living that have dominated the housing market in recent years. The...

  • Saint John announces street closures for film shoot

    Saint John says it will be drawing the velvet curtain over some city streets next week with a film production in town. The city announced street closures on Prince William Street from Princess to St. James Street from noon Sunday to noon Monday, as well as the south end of Bayside Drive from Hewitt Road to Red Head Road, towards Mispec Beach, from noon to midnight Wednesday. There was also a potential street closure announced for Peel Plaza from 2 p.m. to midnight May 8. According to the traffic

  • Phipps Ocean Park to get $30 million in upgrades

    The town of Palm Beach has broken ground on a restoration project for Phipps Ocean Park, which has been four years in the making.

  • US military strategy tested as Iran-Israel warfare comes out of shadows

    The U.S. military's success helping Israel stop a massive wave of Iranian missiles and drones last weekend might suggest Washington is well prepared militarily for whatever comes next as Iran and Israel move from shadow warfare to direct confrontation. But current and former U.S. officials say U.S. forces are not positioned for a major, sustained Middle East conflict and the Pentagon may have to revisit assumptions about military needs in the region if the crisis deepens. "I don't think we have all the forces that we would want to support Israel if there was a direct war between them and Iran," said Michael Mulroy, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East under the Trump administration.

  • Guest lineups for the Sunday news shows

    WASHINGTON (AP) — ABC’s “This Week” — Reps. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Ro Khanna, D-Calif.; retired Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. ___ NBC's “Meet the Press” — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. ___ CBS’ “Face the Nation" — Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska; Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pa. ___ CNN’s “State of the Union” — Govs. J.B. Pritzker, D-Ill., and Kristi Noem, R-S.D.; Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas. __ “Fox News Sunday” — Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Rep.