Van Quickenborne Kidnap Charges Dropped; Suspects Face Arms

A Belgian court has ruled that six Dutch suspects will not face trial for the alleged attempted kidnapping of former Belgian Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne, citing insufficient evidence linking them to the 2022 plot. However, the suspects have been referred to the correctional court for illegal weapons possession and membership in a criminal organization, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.

Background of the Plot

The case dates back to September 2022, when Belgian intelligence intercepted communications about a plan to kidnap “a minister with glasses from Kortrijk” — a description that matched Van Quickenborne, who was serving as Belgium’s Minister of Justice at the time. The plot was allegedly linked to the criminal network of Jos “Bolle Jos” Leijdekkers, a Dutch drug trafficker on the EU Most Wanted list who is believed to be hiding in Sierra Leone.

On the night of September 24-25, 2022, three Dutch nationals — Abdellatif M. (52), Farzad Y. (23), and Mohammed El Y. (24) — were stopped by police near Van Quickenborne’s home in the Kortrijk villa neighborhood. A fourth suspect, Leonard D.S. (32), was apprehended after walking to the scene. Shortly afterward, authorities discovered a Renault Mégane containing an automatic rifle, zip ties, and gasoline canisters parked nearby. The vehicle had been left by Leonard D.S., who was paid €500 to bring it to Kortrijk.

Van Quickenborne and his family were immediately moved to a safe house, and police surveillance was intensified around the area.

The Court’s Decision

The Kortrijk Chamber of Indictment (Raadkamer) ruled on June 16, 2026, that there was insufficient evidence to refer any of the suspects for attempted kidnapping. The court determined that while suspicious circumstances existed, prosecutors could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that the suspects specifically intended to carry out a kidnapping.

Six suspects will, however, face trial for membership in a criminal organization and illegal weapons possession — charges that carry potential sentences of five to ten years in prison.

Defense lawyer Thomas Gillis, representing the so-called “taxi trio” (Abdellatif M., Farzad Y., and Mohammed El Y.), argued that his clients were merely drivers. “They played taxi,” Gillis said. “But they had nothing to do with a criminal purpose — read: a kidnapping.”

Christian Clement, defense lawyer for Lorenzo B., drew on surrealist imagery to criticize the prosecution. “This can only happen in the Belgium of René Magritte,” Clement said. “Ceci n’est pas une situation d’otages.” He added that his client “did not know Vincent Van Quickenborne and did not know who was Minister of Justice in Belgium.”

Van Quickenborne’s Legal Team Responds

Jan Leysen, the lawyer representing Van Quickenborne’s interests, expressed disappointment with the ruling. “The link was and is clear enough for us,” Leysen said. “The former minister and I did not expect this decision.”

Leysen confirmed that an appeal is under consideration. “That we will appeal is not unthinkable,” he stated, while also noting satisfaction that the Federal Prosecutor’s Office “takes seriously a case in which weapons, zip ties, and gasoline were found in a car.”

Broader Context

The case highlights the ongoing threat posed by Dutch organized crime networks to Belgian officials. Van Quickenborne, who served as Justice Minister from 2020 to 2023, pursued an aggressive anti-drug trafficking agenda that included signing treaties with the United Arab Emirates to enable the capture of drug lords and overseeing major operations against encrypted criminal communication networks.

Jos “Bolle Jos” Leijdekkers, the alleged mastermind of the plot, remains one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives. Convicted in absentia in both the Netherlands and Belgium, he is believed to be directing operations from Sierra Leone, where he was spotted at a church service alongside the country’s president in January 2025.

What’s Next

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office may appeal the Raadkamer’s decision. Meanwhile, the six suspects will proceed to trial on the remaining charges of weapons possession and criminal organization membership. The case raises broader questions about the evidentiary challenges of prosecuting conspiracy plots where the ultimate criminal intent cannot be conclusively proven, and about the security of public officials targeted by organized crime networks.

Van Quickenborne, who stepped down as Justice Minister in July 2023, remains active in politics as a member of the federal parliament for the Anders party and is scheduled to become an alderman in Kortrijk in early 2027.