‘No evidence’ that decorated soldier was kidnapped and killed his attacker: Volkskrant
There is no evidence that a Dutch soldier who was decorated for bravery was actually taken hostage and killed his kidnapper in 2007, the Volkskrant said on Wednesday, quoting military sources.
Marco Kroon, who was previously awarded the Netherlands’ highest honour for bravery, reported the incident to his superiors in 2017, 10 years after it happened.
Commanding officers are required to report any breaches of protocol immediately after the operation, but Kroon said he had kept quiet because of the nature of the operation.
However, after a year-long investigation, defence ministry officials have found no evidence for the claim, the VK, which spoke to 12 people involved in the mission or the investigation, said.
‘We’ve questioned everyone who could know anything about the mission,’ one source said. ‘The conclusion is that the defence ministry cannot confirm the story is real. There is no evidence it happened.’
In 2009 Kroon was awarded the Militaire Willems-Orde, the highest honour for bravery given to Dutch soldiers, for fighting his way out of an ambush. A year later he was fined €750 for possessing an electric shock weapon at his cafe in Den Bosch, though he was cleared of another charge of drug dealing.
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