2 hours Ago
Orders Were to Kill Everyone on the Farm
New details have surfaced about what happened before the attack. Two suspects from France have reportedly told investigators that the entire group met the night before at a warehouse in Belgium, where they received their instructions. According to what they shared with police, the plan was brutal and absolute: kill everyone found at the farm, with no exceptions made even for children or elderly people present. Those leading the group were said to be carrying heavy automatic weapons, while the remaining members were handed pistols.
The two men now identified as the shooters are part of a much larger group of 32 people currently being held in custody. Both face formal charges of murder and manslaughter. Investigators say they were able to pinpoint the pair using a combination of surveillance camera recordings, forensic clues gathered at the scene, and statements from witnesses who saw what unfolded.
Footage collected from the scene reportedly shows more than 30 armed men, their faces covered, closing in on the gate of Jan G.'s property. Out of that group, two men opened fire and killed Leenders. Two young police officers who responded to the scene were also injured during the incident. Even though most of the group did not personally fire a weapon, the rest are still considered suspects in the murder and manslaughter case, since they were present and allegedly involved in planning or carrying out the attack together.
Dozens Remain Behind Bars as Legal Process Continues
A court review held recently resulted in 32 of the 33 suspects being ordered to remain in custody. The suspects have been processed in separate groups rather than all at once. Earlier in the week, a group of 14 suspects had their detention extended by another 14 days. Then, during a closed-door hearing, five more suspects appeared before the court, four of whom were ordered held for an additional 90 days, while one received a 30-day extension. Two minors connected to the case also had their pretrial detention extended by 45 days. Meanwhile, a separate group of 13 suspects appeared in court a day earlier, though the outcome of that hearing has not yet been made public.
Those arrested come from several different countries: 11 are Dutch, 16 are French, two are Belgian, two are Algerian, one is Libyan, and one is Ukrainian. Most of those involved are between 18 and 32 years old, with the exception of two French minors, aged 16 and 17.
Interestingly, just a day after Leenders was killed, a disturbing video began circulating online. It showed a group of armed, masked men accusing Jan G. of stealing a cocaine shipment, warning that everyone he cares about would be killed if the drugs were not returned.
