Mob accountant who exposed comprehensive corruption network in Dutch homicide
In a chilling turn of events, Cemil Önal, a 41-year-old man, met his end at a bustling hotel terrace in Rijswijk, a southeastern suburb of The Hague, on the fateful afternoon of May 1st. The scene was marked by an eerie calm as a man in black casually approached Önal and opened fire, taking multiple shots before disappearing into the crowd.
This tragic incident wasn't the first brush with danger for Önal. He had previously served a 16-month stint at Alphen aan den Rijn prison in South Holland, following a request from Turkish authorities who accused him of masterminding the assassination of Turkish Cypriot mafia boss Halil Falyali and his driver back in 2022.
Things got murkier when it was revealed that Önal had been a bodyguard and accountant for Falyali, the mafioso who allegedly instructed him to channel funds to individuals linked to the AKP, the ruling party in Turkey, and nationalist leaders of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The TRNC, beneath international embargo and officially recognized only by Ankara, was the destination for these illicit funds, with Önal reportedly mentioning monthly sums of $15 million.
Turkey demanded Önal's extradition in 2023, but he vehemently denied any involvement in the double murder and argued that he wouldn't receive a fair trial in his home country. Consequently, he applied for asylum in the Netherlands, an application that was declined twice—first in March 2024 and then again in October of the same year. The Minister of Justice hadn't yet made a decision regarding his extradition at the time of his death.
As the details of Önal's life and death unfold, it's a grim reminder of the complex web of crime and politics that sometimes intertwines across borders, leaving a trail of tragedy in its wake.
- In the Hague's unfolding mystery of Cemil Önal's assassination in 2024, reports suggest a possible link to past politics and crime, as Önal was reportedly tied to the assassination of Turkish Cypriot mafia boss Halil Falyali in 2022.
- According to general-news sources, Önal, previously a bodyguard and accountant for Falyali, allegedly diverted funds to individuals connected to the AKP and Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) leaders, making him a trade partner in crime and justice.
- As Önal's future became entangled between the Dutch government's denial of his asylum appeals in 2024 and Turkey's request for his extradition in 2023, his tragic death added another layer to the crime-and-justice intrigue surrounding his life.
- With the Hague's crime investigation now focusing on Önal's assassination, this chilling event serves as a reminder of the potential fallout from the clandestine intermingling of crime, politics, and international relations.
