Suspect confesses to attempted murder of Iranian journalist in Haarlem
Mehrez A. has admitted to arriving in the Netherlands to perform a contract killing targeting Iranian activist Siamak Tadayon Tahmasbi in Haarlem. The plot, allegedly directed by the Iranian regime, was foiled in June 2024 when the intended victim alerted police to suspicious activity outside his residence.
Forty-year-old Mehrez A. has confessed in a Dutch court to traveling to the Netherlands to carry out a contract killing. He is one of six suspects involved in the failed assassination attempt on Siamak Tadayon Tahmasbi, an Iranian activist and critic of the Iranian regime who resides in Haarlem. The plot was thwarted on June 6, 2024, when Tahmasbi spotted two men outside his home and alerted authorities, leading to the immediate arrest of A. and his co-defendant Gabriel O. The AIVD intelligence agency suspects the order for the hit originated from Iran.
During the trial at the high-security courthouse at Schiphol, A. claimed he only took the job because he needed money to flee Europe, as he is wanted by Europol and Interpol. Prosecutors have linked the suspects to other high-profile attacks, including a failed attempt on former Spanish politician Alejo Vidal-Quadras. While A. provided testimony, other suspects have remained silent or are being tried in absentia.
Based on reporting by rss. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
