The main suspect in the deadly explosion in The Hague in December, which killed six people and injured a further four, has told judges he is “so unbelievably sorry.”

Appearing in court for a procedural hearing, Moshtag B, 33, said it had never been his intention to kill and that he truly regrets what happened.

The explosion at the housing complex on Tarwekamp targeted the bridal shop on the ground floor, which was owned by Moshtag’s former girlfriend.

B and three others have been charged in connection with the blast. Two of them are said to have been part of the plot, while the third man on the charge sheet was involved but later pulled out.

The public prosecutor read out a statement in court based on the testimony of the eight-year-old boy who lost his parents and sister in the blast.

“He told the police he heard a huge bang. He thought he had fallen out of bed and had been dreaming that he fell,” the statement said. “He heard his father screaming for help but could not reach him.”

The court was told that Mourad B and Illias B had thrown 200 litres of petrol into the shop and then lit the blaze using fireworks, leading to the explosion.

The three men have been charged with arson and murder. Even if they had not intended to kill, they should have known it was a possibility, the prosecutor said.

He also provided more details about the earlier arrest of two of the suspects, who were caught a few days before the blast with a van full of petrol and fireworks. They were released after a night in jail.

Released

“At that point, it was not clear if a crime was being committed, or who or what the target was. The supplies were confiscated, and it was decided to release them,” the prosecutor said.

The Netherlands has been plagued by hundreds of arson attacks using fireworks on homes and business premises in recent months.

The next hearing will be in May, but the full trial is unlikely to take place before 2026. All four men were remanded in custody.