Princess forced forced to flee student flat after ‘kidnap threats from drug kingpin’ accused of shocking murder
DUTCH Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia has been forced to move out of her student flat over a gangsters’ plot to kidnap her, it has been alleged.
Fearing for her safety, the 18-year-old, who started a degree at the University of Amsterdam this autumn, moved out of her Amsterdam digs and back to the royal palace in The Hague.
The heir to the Dutch throne was under heightened security due to fears that criminal gangs may target her for kidnapping or an attack, the royal family revealed last month.
It is reported that Prince Catharina-Amalia’s name came up during tapped conversations between organised armed groups – indicating she may be at risk of kidnapping or attacks.
The name of Prime Minister Mark Rutte also appeared in the underworld communications.
The alleged security threat, investigated over the past six weeks, is reported to have come from 44-year-old Ridouan Taghi, a known “Mocro-maffia” figure in Amsterdam, who is currently on trial for several murders.
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The Mocro-Maffia is believed to be one of the largest drug-trafficking gangs in Europe.
Over the past 12 months, Dutch security services claimed to have foiled plans for a violent jailbreak, after kingpin Taghi allegedly ordering the murder of a key witness and senior prosecutor.
Taghi, who was arrested in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in 2019, immediately denied the allegations on Wednesday, describing the alleged plot as false and baseless accusation.
His lawyer, Inez Weski, said Taghi “strongly” denied the claims, explaining that the man had made it clear he “didn’t want to hurt Princess Amalia” and he “would never harm a child,” according to The National News.
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During a state visit to Sweden, Catharina-Amalia’s dad King Willem-Alexander described her situation as “very tough”, according to France24.
“It has huge consequences for her life. It means she doesn’t live in Amsterdam and also that she can’t really go outside,” her mother, Queen Maxima, is reported as saying by Dutch outlet AD.
“The consequences are very difficult for her. No student life for her, like other students have… It’s not nice to see your child live like that. She can go to university, but that’s it,” Queen Maxima said during the state visit with her husband.
Prime Minister Rutte said he was “very worried” about Catharina-Amalia’s “terrible” situation.
The country’s Justice and Security Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, meanwhile, tweeted: “I guarantee that our security services are working day and night to ensure her security”.
In September, De Telegraaf had reported that security had been bolstered over fears the princess could be targeted by local “mafia”.
The heir to the throne, who started a degree in politics, psychology, law and economics, has now permanently left her shared flat moved back to the Huis ten Bosch royal palace.
“Other princes and princesses have always been able to study. It is very sad that these kinds of measures are needed now,” Edwin Bakker, professor of terrorism and counterterrorism at Leiden University is reported as saying by the Het Parool newspaper.
“Everything will have been done to allow Amalia to simply live in Amsterdam, something to which she has every right, but this is extremely difficult if there is a major threat.”
Bakker added: “What happens goes beyond crime. It is so disruptive that it is socially disruptive, it is an attack on the democratic legal order.”
Catharina-Amalia was reported to have been living with several other students.
Dutch police and secret service have declined to comment on the security arrangements around the royal household.
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King Willem-Alexander Claus George Ferdinand took the throne in 2013 when his mother, Queen Beatrix, abdicated.
Princess Catharina-Amalia has two younger sisters, Princess Alexia, 17, and Princess Ariane, 15.