Rabat – Hours before 55-year-old Gerben van V. shot and killed his 25-year-old neighbor, Hamza el Baghdadi, the alleged shooter posted a series of racist tweets on X.
The horrific incident occurred late Wednesday of last week. Neighbors described van V. as “cold-blooded” after he shot el Baghdadi twice in the back outside the victim’s home.
El Baghdadi’s wife and their two-month-old baby were hiding in the bathroom at the time, fearing for their lives as van V. allegedly threatened to kill them as well.
Authorities revealed that van V. had a known fascination with World War II weaponry, an obsession that had been previously documented.
However, his Twitter profile exposed a darker side, showing a deep-seated hatred for Muslims. Just hours before the murder, van V. tweeted incendiary remarks, including integrating with hateful content that incites violence against Muslims and Islam in general.
While local residents suggested the fatal altercation stemmed from a long-standing dispute over a parking spot, friends of the victim believe the killing was racially motivated.
“Gerben van V. had a history of conflict with el Baghdadi, but his tweets show a clear pattern of racial hatred,” a friend of the victim told local media.
Van V.’s Twitter account contained numerous shocking statements. He celebrated the deaths of Palestinian children in the Israeli conflict and made baseless claims about child abuse in mosques.
In one tweet, he attacked Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, implying she was sympathetic to criminals because of her own family, and suggested that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte should be imprisoned.
After shooting el Baghdadi, van V. allegedly banged on the door of the victim’s home, shouting threats at el Baghdadi’s wife and infant child. “You two are next,” he reportedly screamed. El Baghdadi managed to warn his wife not to open the door before van V. shot him in the head.
Van V. is currently in police custody, facing charges for the murder of Hamza el Baghdadi and attempted murder of his wife and child.
