Psych observation of Mohammed B. completed

AMSTERDAM — The psychiatric assessment of Mohammed B., the suspected killer of Theo van Gogh, has been rounded off, allowing for his transfer away from the judiciary’s observation clinic.

The suspect’s lawyer, Peter Plasman, said that B. refused at all times to co-operate with the seven-week psychiatric assessment at the Utrecht-based Pieter Baan Centre (PBC).

At the request of the public prosecutor, Amsterdam Court in January ordered B. to undergo a behavioural examination. The prosecutor said the assessment was “unavoidable”.

The court also considered the assessment necessary given the violent and cold-blooded nature of Van Gogh’s death. The filmmaker was shot seven times and his throat was cut. The culprit also left two knives stuck into the victim’s body.

B. was transferred away from the PBC to a normal jail a week ago, it was revealed on Friday.

However, it is unclear whether he will need to return to the Scheveningen penitentiary hospital for tests on his broken leg. The leg was broken by a police bullet when B. was arrested on the day of the 2 November murder last year.

B. appeared in court on crutches for a pre-trial hearing earlier this month.

His refusal to co-operate with the psychiatric assessment at the PBC will not necessarily affect the report that specialists will draw up. The clinic has been confronted on previous occasions with detainees who refuse to co-operate.

The PBC says clinical observations are usually enough to draw up a complete report. The report can also be based on the prosecution dossier.

The clinic must determine to what extent B. can be held accountable for his actions.

B. has indicated via his lawyer that he will not claim to have been of diminished responsibility at the time of the killing and wants to be held “fully responsible” for his act.

The suspected Islamic militant allegedly killed Van Gogh for collaborating with MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali on the film ‘Submission’, which took a critical look at domestic violence in the Muslim community.

The trial will be held on 11 and 12 July.

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