OM wanted to arrest Poch in another country so that extradition was possible Interior

Minister Grapperhaus (Justice and Security) reports this to the Lower House. On request from the House of Representatives, the minister investigates possible illegal interference from the Netherlands. During a search for “relevant documents”, an interview report from 2008 emerged. “The report shows that, in view of the absence of the option of extradition by the Netherlands, the representative of the OM has explicitly suggested the possibility of arresting Mr Poch in a third country from which he could possibly be extradited to Argentina, “writes Grapperhaus.

Death flights

At the end of 2008, Argentina asked the Netherlands for the arrest and extradition of Poch, because he was suspected of being involved in so-called death flights during the Junta regime under President Videla’s regime. Poch was arrested in 2009, in Spain. That happened during his last flight, just before he would retire with Transavia. Argentina did have an extradition treaty with Spain, so Poch got stuck in Argentina. The former pilot believes that the Netherlands has extradited him indirectly to Argentina. That is why he demands compensation of 5 million euros.

Poch was in custody in Argentina for around eight years on charges of involvement in death flights, but was acquitted in 2017. Earlier, lawyer Knoops has held the Netherlands liable for the damage suffered by the former pilot, because, according to him, the Netherlands acted unlawfully in both his arrest and the extradition to Argentina.

It is not the first time that information indicates Dutch involvement in the extradition of Poch. Grapperhaus previously informed the House that there has been contact about extradition. “The report shows that there have been exploratory talks in which various Argentinean interlocutors have discussed the possibilities of legal assistance, including the possibilities with regard to extradition,” said the CDA minister at the time. “I can also report that a representative of the Argentinian Ministry of Justice and Human Rights towards the Dutch delegation would have expressed an explicit preference for extradition to Argentina for the purpose of prosecution there.”

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