Defence ministry ordered to pay Afghan spy €1.1m compensation

The Dutch state has been ordered to pay a former spy in Afghanistan €1.1 in compensation for the loss of his business after the military security service abandoned him, endangering his life.

Ibrahim A, a former policeman in the Netherlands, had a building company in Afghanistan and in 2006 and 2007 worked gathering information for the MIVD military security service.

However, in 2007, the MIVD abruptly broke off the relationship, which led to A receiving threats from his network which damaged his business. He was eventually forced to flee the country.

Last November, a court ruled the spy service had failed in its duty of care towards A by ending the relationship and putting him in danger. By law, relationships with informants are supposed to be ‘wound down carefully’.

On Wednesday, judges in The Hague agreed that A should be compensated for the loss of his business but turned down his €5m claim.

Denial

The MIVD and the defence ministry deny A worked as a spy and have dismissed him as a lying opportunist.

However, research by the NRC showed that earlier this year the defence ministry agreed a ‘generous pay-off’ with two MIVD workers who were involved in the case, on condition they kept quiet about their work abroad.

The two secret agents, said to be around the age of 50, have been given early retirement on full pay, the NRC said.