Exemplary Policeman Spies for Morocco

This is culturally enriched law enforcement at its finest.

A Dutch Moroccan policeman, lionized for his service to the Netherlands and presented as a shining example of an “assimilated” immigrant, turns out to be a spy for Morocco. Under pressure from the land of his ethnic heritage, he agreed to pass on secret information (possibly about fellow Dutch Moroccans) to Moroccan intelligence.

According to NIS News:

Eulogised Policeman Prosecuted for Spying for Morocco

AMSTERDAM, 02/04/10 — Rotterdam police officer Re L., who spied for Morocco, is being prosecuted for official corruption and violation of his confidentiality duty.

TV programme NOVA has obtained the indictment. The case is piquant because two years ago, Re L. was applauded by the cabinet and even the Royal Family as an exemplary immigrant.

In the TV programme, his lawyer J. van Riet said Re L. spied under pressure from the Moroccan authorities. He is said to have been physically and psychologically maltreated on a trip to Morocco.

The case got underway after the AIVD secret service received a tip-off in spring of 2008 that the Moroccan-Dutch police officer was said to be passing on police information to the Moroccan secret service. The case led to a diplomatic row, in which Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen expelled two Moroccan diplomats from the country.

The officer appeared in the first instance to be getting away with just dismissal. Later, the Public Prosecutor’s Office after all launched an investigation, which has now resulted in prosecution. The first session will take place in the district court in The Hague on 8 April.

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According to NOVA, the indictment accuses the man of passing on information from various secret police systems to a contact person at the Moroccan embassy from February 2006 to March 2008. Information is said to have been passed on about at least four people.

The secret agent was the initiator of a project in which Rotterdam Airport in partnership with various companies and the Rotterdam police provided a training course for young Moroccans as airport staff. The project received the support of Princess Maxima and was even named after her: Project Maxima.

Re L. sat next to the wife of the Crown Prince in February 2008 during the presentation of diplomas. On his other side sat Vice-Premier Andre Rouvoet, who said in a speech that “here today 57 youngsters are smiling with pride, especially thanks to the energetic approach of project leader Re L.”

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Hat tip: TB.