Dutch rape victim gets death treats from her Somali attacker

A Somali asylum seeker Mohammed M, who assaulted and raped Hoorn-resident Sylvia Veld at the end of 2016 was supposed to be deported this week. However, he is again the subject of an investigation. The woman had to track down her assailant herself.

Veld recently also received several death threats. After being assaulted by him, Sylvia lured the asylum seeker into a trap by pretending to be another woman who wanted to date him. Mohammed then sent her a photo of himself taken with Sylvia’s phone.

This is what Sylvia Veld (29) told the Dutch daily, De Telegraaf. Officials involved in The Hague and the North Holland police confirmed the expulsion of M as well as the threats. The case of the Somali is being investigated.

“We take the threats seriously and the detectives have started an investigation in which the vice department is involved. An appointment has now been made for a statement,” said a North Holland police spokesperson.

The Hoorn woman, who was assaulted and almost strangled in the bushes after an evening out at the end of 2016, easily tracked down Mohammed M herself with the Find my iPhone app. The Somalian had stolen her phone during the assault.

There have been at least two threats. The first was at the beginning of this month and came shortly after a report in the same newspaper about the deportation procedure against her attacker. He said in prison that Sylvia had to die. This was reported to the police, who notified Sylvia.

A second threat followed this week. This time a Somali man from Mogadishu posted a death threat on her Facebook account. “You’re going to die, you whore. Dirty woman,” the Facebook post read. The police are investigating whether Mohammed M is also involved in this threat. He may have sent the message from Mogadishu himself.

Sylvia thinks her attacker incited acquaintances in Hoorn and the surrounding area to make the threat. She said she is terrified. She had already indicated in De Telegraaf that she was afraid of reprisals from Mohammed M.

“I am happy and scared at the same time. Happy and relieved because he is out of the country. Finally. Afraid because, right after he landed there, I received a direct death threat from Somalia. It is very, very intimidating. I know it comes from him,” says Sylvia.

According to Sylvia, “[Mohammed] feels he’s the victim. He is far away, but his friends are still here. He has often made death threats. For this he would have to be convicted in absentia,” she says.

M has been banned from entering Europe for ten years, but according to Sylvia: “That should be lifelong. This man has shown his true face. He has no regrets, he put on a big act in court. I hope that the rule of law can protect me against this criminal: this is not a refugee, but the biggest...Read More HERE