Justice
Suspect in Schammenkamp explosion maintains he was unaware of activities in garage box
Jalal O., accused of operating a drug lab linked to the January 29, 2024 explosion that killed three people including his nephew, testified that he did not know illicit activities were occurring at the Rotterdam-Zuid property. The prosecution alleges the garage box served as a cocaine processing site containing acetone drums, while O. claims he smelled nothing unusual during a visit three days prior. Although initially stating he destroyed his phone out of frustration after learning of the blast in Belgium, it emerged he gave it to his ex-wife who erased its history, citing messages about hashish. During the trial, O. denied falsifying information or destroying evidence, explaining his actions near the scene were intended to secure his neighbor's body rather than evade detection.
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