The Insider (Part I): The Karate Instructor
How a Sex Club Bouncer’s Testimony Could Rewrite Suriname’s History (If It’s True…)
Oct 31, 2024
Sourcing the Shadows: The Van Haperen Enigma
When piecing together secret history, like Project Democracy and Iran-Contra, waiting for a “perfect” witness could take forever. Take Gary Betzner—a Top Gun pilot turned nudist colony devotee who went by “Lucas Noel Harmony” before landing on a Costa Rican ranch, ferrying cocaine and guns for the Contras. Or George Morales, a Miami powerboat champion and drug trafficking kingpin, who funneled cocaine to arm Contra rebels in Nicaragua. With stories like these, the gray zone is standard operating ground, and Peter van Haperen is no exception.
Peter van Haperen resurfaced in 2009 after decades of silence, arriving in Paramaribo to testify about his role in an alleged 1982 counter-coup attempt in Suriname tied to Oliver North’s operations.123 At first glance, the elderly Dutchman—once a long-haired sex-club bouncer and karate instructor— was now appearing more like a retired grandfather than an intelligence asset.4 When an elderly van Haperen, was asked why he’d chosen now to break his silence, his answer was one word: fear.5
But what was van Haperen afraid of? And was there any truth behind this improbable persona? As it turns out, to find out, I had to sift through a complex network of sources, from obscure intelligence histories to cryptic online forums where van Haperen—or someone remarkably like him—seemed to reveal his story in fragments, always leaving questions in his wake.
By Matthew Smith: Operation Suriname is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Following the Threads: Sources and Speculation
Before we dive deeper, let’s address a crucial question: Why would sources like the Dutch Ministry of Defense deny any connection to someone like van Haperen? In covert operations, agencies often rely on “disposable” assets—figures who, if compromised, can’t be traced back to official channels.
Van Haperen’s alleged link to Oliver North exemplifies this approach. North, known for operating in shadowy realms, coordinated missions with individuals who left no paper trail. Van Haperen claimed that in May 1981, after working on a prison break for Surendre Rambocus, he learned that North and the National Security Council had joined CIA and DIA plans for a possible takeover in Suriname. This followed a visit to Cuba by Surinamese leaders, signaling a shift toward communism.6 His role as an agent provocateur—allegedly infiltrating Surinamese resistance and sabotaging coups on behalf of Dutch intelligence—positioned him as both valuable and expendable, an asset that could be disavowed without consequence.78
To illustrate how assets like van Haperen are managed, consider the words of the unnamed colonel from Washington D.C., who reportedly told Dr. John:
“Here’s how they see you, John: you are a man with talent. You can put an operation together from planning to execution. You can even liaison with the politicians. That makes you a dangerous man. If they can control you through the embassy and a few bones thrown your way through a contract man, they’ll do it. If the operation fails, they don’t know you and there’s no paper trail linking you to the U.S.”9
This approach helps explain why the Ministry of Defense would deny any formal ties to van Haperen. He was designed to be invisible, a “contract man” with no official connections. Still, his story left traces.
When researching Peter van Haperen’s background, only a handful of sources mention him by name.
- “De Nederlandse inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten” by F.A.C. Kluiters – This book provides an overview of Dutch intelligence and security services, including unofficial or self-styled operatives. Van Haperen appears here as one of those fringe figures: someone who may have contributed to intelligence activities but is often viewed as a peripheral or exaggerated presence, adding a somewhat mythic or dubious flavor to intelligence circles.
- “Onder Vreemdeling Vlag” Written by Rende van de Kamp,10 a mercenary with firsthand knowledge of van Haperen, this book describes a meeting in Amsterdam where van Haperen attempted to infiltrate the Council for the Liberation of Suriname. Van de Kamp noted van Haperen’s unusual demeanor—long hair and a seeming indifference to military decorum—which made him question van Haperen’s authenticity.
Beyond these two books, information on van Haperen falls into two categories: historical newspaper articles and a mix of online message boards and van Haperen’s recent online memoirs. Early newspaper articles view van Haperen with suspicion, painting him as a possible con artist exploiting the Surinamese resistance for profit. On the other hand, the online message boards are murkier, requiring careful fact-checking and scrutiny. Here, details about van Haperen’s alleged exploits emerge piecemeal, and readers must sift through rumors and half-truths to uncover potential leads.
Enter Anansi9 and the Insider: A Timeline of Van Haperen’s Alleged Confessions
2009: Van Haperen Arrives in Paramaribo
In July 2009, after a 25-year absence, van Haperen returned to Suriname to testify in the trial of Desi Bouterse. He claimed to have led a counter-coup team in the 1980s on behalf of a covert branch of the Dutch military, with CIA backing. His narrative was almost cinematic—a team landing under cover of darkness, armed and prepared to neutralize Bouterse and his allies. The account was vivid, though at times far-fetched, leading Judge Rasoelbaks to remark, “I see it before my eyes like a film.” Van Haperen, unamused, retorted, “We did not work with a film script; we had a script.” Despite the theatrics, no official records confirmed his involvement, which van Haperen dismissed, saying, “Of course they say they don’t know me; I was in a secret section.”
November 9, 2009: Anansi9 Appears on a Surinamese Forum
A few months later, a mysterious user called Anansi9 surfaced on the Surinamese forum Waterkant.net, sharing detailed posts that mirrored van Haperen’s claims. Drawing on the folkloric trickster Anansi — known for his cunning and resistance — the user’s posts outlined a complex stay-behind network, “De Dienst,” which allegedly operated as a clandestine parallel intelligence service, focused on destabilization and deception.
Anansi9’s details were startlingly specific, describing “De Dienst” as an organization founded by Dutch intelligence figures, including Cees van den Heuvel11 and CIA agent Carl Armfelt,12 whose role was to set up covert cells across Belgium and the Netherlands. His posts painted Armfelt as a staunch anti-communist operative with a Cold War mindset, leading secretive paramilitary training camps. By the time the forum posts disappeared, the identity and intentions of Anansi9 remained an open question.
October 30, 2010: The “Insider” Appears on Gang of Nijvel Message Board
Almost a year after his public statements, van Haperen—or someone with startlingly similar knowledge—reemerged, this time on the Gang of Nijvel message board under the alias “Insider.” This enigmatic figure began sharing a first-hand account of paramilitary exercises in Belgium, allegedly part of the same network described by Anansi9. The Insider claimed these exercises were connected to Oliver North’s broader coup attempt in Suriname. According to the posts, the operation was planned for December 25, 1982, with the goal of eliminating Bouterse and his allies. A particularly haunting revelation was the Insider’s account of the “Pirate, Mammoth, Sniper” (PMS) technique, a training protocol supposedly tailored for targeted eliminations. According to him, the PMS technique was designed as a synchronized assault, with distinct roles in a team, including a “Sniper” to execute targets. He described live-fire exercises, with participants shooting at moving targets behind walls of truck tires — details so specific they implied an insider perspective.
The Insider described the PMS technique as more than physical training; it was a carefully orchestrated tactic to confuse witnesses and evade detection. Following the guidance of Madani Bouhouche, known for his skill in deception, they deployed a rotating team tactic, with different men acting as “the giant” — a key figure in Gang of Nijvel sightings. The Insider claimed Bouhouche advised the men to wear multiple layers of coats, further ensuring eyewitnesses couldn’t determine their true identities.
In a series of posts, the Insider implicated several key figures in the training operations: Belgian Prime Minister Paul Vanden Boeynants, Baron de Bonvoisin, and Madani Bouhouche — a master of disguise whose advice helped perfect the PMS technique’s deception tactics. According to him, this powerful network connected intelligence services, mercenaries, and organized crime syndicates, all linked by a common purpose: controlling international outcomes through covert force.
2012: The Insider’s Identity is Speculated
By 2012, the Insider’s posts had reached almost mythic proportions on the Gang of Nijvel board. The scope of his claims had broadened, implicating figures as far-reaching as Saudi arms dealer Faez al Ajjaz and French mercenary Bob Denard. The Insider even suggested a connection between the January 1982 robbery of Belgium’s elite Diane gendarmerie unit and the Suriname operation, hinting that stolen Heckler & Koch submachine guns were intended for this mission. As the posts grew in scope, so did speculation about the Insider’s identity.
On November 26-28, 2010, a user named Boemerang was the first to suggest that the Insider might, in fact, be Peter van Haperen.13 Boemerang’s suspicions arose after reading a blog post by author and mercenary Rende van de Kamp14 about van Haperen’s alleged role in the Suriname coup. That same day, van de Kamp himself joined the forum, lending unexpected credibility to the speculation by actively participating in discussions about van Haperen and confirming that he knew him personally from a meeting prior to a 1983 planned coup attempt on Suriname.
When users asked the Insider directly if he was van Haperen, he denied it but intriguingly added that he knew van Haperen and would relay questions to him if needed. This cryptic response only fueled further speculation, with many forum members voicing doubts over the denial, suspecting that the Insider’s evasive answer was an attempt to maintain his anonymity while still dropping hints.
A little over a year later, in January 2012, Giscard, another forum user, noted that van de Kamp had left the forum only a week after joining, possibly due to his dislike of the board’s anonymous nature. Nonetheless, van de Kamp’s presence had intensified suspicions about the Insider’s identity, especially as he was the first to publicly hint that the Insider might be van Haperen.
The speculation reached a new peak in 2013. On July 31, forum administrator Ben confirmed that the Insider’s email address was registered under the name “Peter VH.” This revelation, combined with the Insider’s deep knowledge of events and his consistent, stylized postings, reinforced the forum members’ belief that Peter van Haperen was indeed the man behind the Insider’s enigmatic posts.
Peter van Haperen: The Shadow Agent
Despite decades of skepticism and official disavowals, Peter van Haperen remains active in the world of intrigue, regularly publishing new claims and revisiting past allegations not only on websites like Kleintje Muurkrant (Little Wall Newspaper) but also through contributions to the Rob Scholte Museum blog. Described by some as a “shadowy figure” with a penchant for dramatic revelations, Van Haperen now paints himself as a deep insider with privileged knowledge of intelligence operations, historical secrets, and criminal underworlds. Here are some of his recent claims and updates:
A Whistleblower’s Web of Allegations and Intrigues From his alleged role in coups to investigations of notorious European crime syndicates, van Haperen’s reported activities suggest a life entrenched in intelligence and espionage. Here’s a closer look at the key elements of his claims:
- Involvement in the Suriname “Red Christmas” Coup Attempt and December Murders:
Haperen has claimed insider knowledge of the events leading up to the infamous 1982 December murders and an associated “Christmas Coup” plot in Suriname. His account implicates not only Surinamese officials but also Dutch figures, including intelligence operatives and intermediaries. Van Haperen’s detailed narrative suggests that Lieutenant Colonel William Küchler leaked the coup plans to Dési Bouterse through intermediary channels, driven by moral reservations over the potential loss of life. This alleged leak, according to van Haperen, directly influenced Bouterse’s actions and raises questions about Dutch involvement and influence in Surinamese political affairs during a volatile period.15 - Witness to Murders and Underworld Secrets
One of the more startling claims van Haperen makes involves a 2003 murder in Spain, allegedly committed by figures connected to the Dutch underworld, which he reported to Dutch authorities with no official response. This incident ties into his broader narrative of a “dark army” operating in the shadows of Dutch society and hints at a concealed partnership between crimefighters and criminals.16 - Undercover Operations and Intelligence Affiliations
With purported links to intelligence circles and a role as an undercover agent, van Haperen claims to have been involved in numerous secretive incidents, from investigations into the Bende van Nijvel to espionage on figures connected to oil price manipulation. He names intelligence figures, such as Count Carl Armfelt, in his account, describing covert actions that suggest deeper, untold alliances between intelligence and political power in Europe. - Controversial Communications and Suspicions of Suppression
Van Haperen claims he tried to expose these actions, including alleged crimes by powerful figures, through official channels only to be met with silence or resistance. He has accused public figures, like crimefighter Fred Teeven, of purposely suppressing or disregarding his reports—a sentiment echoed in his open letters to government officials, including a 2015 letter to President Dési Bouterse of Suriname about a secret “Operation Victor” and other international machinations.17 - A Historian of Conspiracy or Architect of Suspense?
As a prolific writer, van Haperen has documented and published his versions of events, such as his yet-to-be-released The Secret Life of the Count, focused on his alleged mentor, Count Carl Armfelt, and various essays on espionage. His writings on the alleged Nazi pasts of Dutch royals and theories surrounding the identity of “De Reus,” a mysterious figure in the “Bende van Nijvel,” cement his role as a provocateur questioning official narratives.
Fact or Fiction? The Dichotomy of Peter van Haperen’s Legacy
While van Haperen’s claims paint him as a renegade insider, his stories raise red flags: official accounts, historical records, and mainstream media have yet to substantiate many of his allegations. His legacy, as it stands, is a tantalizing blend of potential truths and dramatized intrigue, leaving readers to wonder whether he is an actual informant with damning insights or simply a master storyteller—one who has woven threads of the truth into a personal mythos of espionage and betrayal.
Next in Our Investigation
In the coming articles, we’ll dig deeper, comparing van Haperen’s claims to verified sources, interviewing contacts, and examining public records to unravel the truth. Are van Haperen’s stories an indictment of official secrecy or merely the work of a skilled dramatist feeding our fascination with covert power plays?
Starnieuws. “Judge Rasoelbaks Sees Film in Front of Him during Testimony.” January 13, 2012. https://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/8860.
Redacteur. “De Beverwijk Files (013).” Kleintje Muurkrant. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.stelling.nl/kleintje/overzicht-actueel/de-beverwijk-files-013.
Redacteur. “De Beverwijk Files (014).” Kleintje Muurkrant. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.stelling.nl/kleintje/overzicht-actueel/de-beverwijk-files-014.
NRC. “Invasieplannen vermoedelijk door Militaire inlichtingendienst gesaboteerd Infiltrant in Surinaams verzet.” June 28, 1983. https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/1983/06/28/invasieplannen-vermoedelijk-door-militaire-inlichtingendienst-gesaboteerd-infiltrant-in-surinaams-verzet-kb_000027676-a3397145.
Redacteur. “De Beverwijk Files (014).” Kleintje Muurkrant. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.stelling.nl/kleintje/overzicht-actueel/de-beverwijk-files-014.
Insider. “Verhaal van Insider.” Bende van Nijvel Forum, July 7, 2013. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.bendevannijvel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=853&p=20.
De Volkskrant. “BVD Houdt Surinaams Verzet in Nederland in de Gaten.” Gevonden in Delpher. Accessed October 27, 2024. https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ABCDDD:010878460:mpeg21:a0105.
Amigoe. “Den Haag Verijdelt Invasie Suriname.” July 13, 1983, 158 edition. Gevonden in Delpher. //www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010640932:mpeg21:a0005.
McClure, John L. Soldier without Fortune: True Firsthand Account of a Free-Lance Mercenary in Central America. New York: Dell, 1987.
Kamp, Rende van de. Onder vreemde vlag. Uitg. Aspekt, 2006. https://books.google.com/books/about/Onder_vreemde_vlag.html?id=V3I4KgAACAAJ
Footnote: Cees van den Heuvel served as head of personnel investigations at the Dutch Security Service (BVD) until the early 1960s. His role is documented in Constant Hijzen’s comprehensive history of Dutch intelligence services1 and in a rare public interview he gave to VPRO radio’s “OVT: Het Spoor Terug” in 1998, where he was one of the first former intelligence officers to speak openly about BVD operations under his real name while his colleagues still used pseudonyms.2
Bio for Readers: Cees van den Heuvel was a significant figure in Dutch Cold War intelligence history who headed the personnel investigations department of the Binnenlandse Veiligheidsdienst (BVD, Dutch domestic security service) until the early 1960s. Unlike many of his contemporaries in intelligence work, van den Heuvel later became known for his willingness to discuss intelligence operations publicly, providing rare firsthand accounts of BVD activities during a crucial period of European security history. His testimonies have become valuable sources for historians studying the development of Dutch intelligence services during the Cold War era.
Footnotes
- Hijzen, C. W. (2016). Vijandbeelden: de veiligheidsdiensten en de democratie, 1912-1992. Boom, Amsterdam. ↩
- “BVD: Waakzaam voor het Vaderland” (BVD: Vigilant for the Fatherland), OVT: Het Spoor Terug, VPRO Radio, October 18, 1998. Part of a five-part documentary series featuring former BVD agents discussing their work publicly for the first time.
wpu.nu. “Carl Magnus Torsten Armfelt.” Accessed November 26, 2023. https://wpu.nu/wiki/Carl_Magnus_Torsten_Armfelt.
Boemerang. “Re: Verhaal van Insider,” Bende van Nijvel Forum, November 26–28, 2010. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.bendevannijvel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=853&p=12.
Kamp, Rende van de. “Dutch under a Foreign Flag,” February 22, 2017. http://web.archive.org/web/20170222164628/http://www.ondervreemdevlag.nl/wie-ben-ik.html.
Redacteur. “Carl Armfelt (031).” Kleintje Muurkrant. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.stelling.nl/kleintje/overzicht-actueel/carl-armfelt-031?
Redacteur. “Carl Armfelt (030).” Kleintje Muurkrant. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.stelling.nl/kleintje/overzicht-actueel/carl-armfelt-030?
Redacteur, and Redactie. “Fred En de Deals.” Kleintje Muurkrant, March 1, 2014. https://www.stelling.nl/kleintje/dossiers/fred-en-de-deals.