Gangland boss Willem Holleeder is accused of trying to arrange the murders of his two sisters and a crime reporter from behind bars, reports NRC.

Holleeder, who is in a maximum security prison in Vught, allegedly plotted the murders of his sisters, Astrid and Sonja, and journalist Peter R. de Vries.

The Dutch prosecution service made the accusation in court on Tuesday at a hearing in a long-running case against Holleeder. He was re-arrested in his cell on April 11 on suspicion of attempted murder.

A witness statement from a fellow prisoner claims Holleeder said he would provide a phone number and code word that would trigger the murders. Two fellow prisoners were asked to call, it is alleged, in return for cash.

Holleeder denies the claims, and told the court he barely knew the inmates involved.

Last year it emerged that Holleeder’s sisters and an ex-girlfriend had given statements to the police about his alleged involvement in gangland murders.

Astrid and Sonja Holleeder said, via a statement from their lawyer, that they were ‘stunned but not surprised’ by the allegations.