Criminals suspected of being involved in the shooting of a Dutch journalist have links to organised crime in Scotland, a journalist turned MSP has claimed.
Russell Findlay, who was a reporter before being voted in as a Tory MSP in May's Holyrood election, has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament paying tribute to Peter de Vries, who was shot in Amsterdam earlier this week.
Mr de Vries had been acting as an adviser to a former gang member who is testifying against Ridouan Taghi - said to have been one of the most wanted men in the Netherlands before being arrested in Dubai two years ago.
Mr Findlay claimed Taghi has links to a major Scottish gang, which is also linked to the Irish Kinahan drugs gang.
The MSP said: "Over the past 15 years, at least one Scottish organised crime group has forged alliances with both the Taghi and Kinahan international drug trafficking gangs.
"The leader of the Glasgow-based gang fled Scotland for his own safety 15 years ago and ended up in Marbella where these connections were made and have flourished.
"Peter R de Vries was targeted because he was effectively exposing and disrupting these cowardly criminals.
"It should concern everyone that a journalist in a western European democracy can be targeted by organised crime.
"I have lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament paying tribute to his courage and urging the authorities to crack down on these gangs.
"I hope that Mr de Vries makes a full recovery and that those responsible are brought to justice."
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