ANP
News from the NOS•yesterday, 20:59
The Ministry of Defense is conducting an independent investigation into possible negligence by the military and the department at the time of the mortar incident in Mali in July 2016. Two soldiers were killed and a third was seriously injured. This is what the Minister of Defense Ollongren writes in the answers to the parliamentary questions of the PS.
In 2017, the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) already published a critical report, which showed that the defense “had failed badly”. Mortar fire safety and health care were unsatisfactory.
The OVV concluded that the mortar’s ignition mechanism was unstable and that this was due to storage. Moisture and heat made the mortar shells sensitive to shocks and explosives, which allowed premature detonation to occur.
Hidden information
Following the investigation, then Defense Minister Hennis and Commander of the Armed Forces Tom Middendorp resigned. Hennis acknowledged that mistakes were made in the purchase, storage and use of purchased mortar rounds.
This summer, the OVV established in a new investigation that information on the incident had been provided by the Ministry of Defense, the Netherlands’ Marechaussee and the Public Prosecutor. withheld. “They knew that the ammunition had not been handled with care and that that was the cause. Yet this was not made public.”
The radio show recently reported Argon that senior officials of the ministry I didn’t feel anything for an investigation into possible negligence or negligent conduct.
Russian roulette
Ollongren now tells the SP’s questions that there will be an investigation after all. He sets up an independent committee to investigate “whether and how negligent and / or negligent individual acts can be established”.
Relatives of killed soldiers Henry Hoving and Kevin Roggeveld have long been pressing for a criminal investigation into possible negligence by the defense.
Kees Roggeveld, the father of the missing soldier, said after reporting by the OVV this summer: “Actually, it just starts now, because someone has yet to be held accountable. Someone decided to sell that ammunition, which they knew was not good. , I still ship it to Mali Russian roulette played with our boys “.
