DutchReport

Racist bombing

2005-03-18T20:00:00.000+01:00

Yesterday morning around 2.15 AM a house was firebombed in multicultural neighborhood Geuzenveld in the city of Amsterdam. Neighbors of the Pierre Cuypershof number 30 heart a laud explosion followed by smaller ones. They could not do any thing; the whole building was directly on fire. The just retired D. de Haas, a man of 65 years old, was likely burned alive and was later found by the firemen.

The police found evidence of arson and said that on the door there was a sign that looked like a swastika. Dutch language blog GeenStijl reports that just after the explosion a car with two people inside caught fire. This was very close to the burned down house. The fire in their car wounded both people. The blog says it is quite stupid to light a cigarette after an arson attack if your cloths are full of gas. But the police refuse to give any comments.

More pictures here (and here and here)

The murdered man was a native Dutch, who took care of a local playground. Neighbors say he had often trouble with Moroccan youth who made a mess on the playground.

Local newspaper Parool reports that the man was a racist: “After a burglary he was condemning all foreigners here”. But also Newspaper AD, report that the man was a racist, quoting his Turkish neighbor who said that he was known for his racist talk, he had said often that there were to many immigrants in the neighborhood (Dutch people are a minority in most areas of Amsterdam). A Moroccan woman from the neighborhood says she can understand the anger of the man: “The young [boys] hang around, act bothersome and make the atmosphere bad. But [he] should not become racist.”

On a nearby square, a group of 20 boys, nearly all from foreign decent are playing football. They had been looking that afternoon to the burned out house. One of them says he had once troubles with the man: “He said we made too much noise and that we shoot pick up our trash. Or otherwise back off to Turkey. But I am Dutch and my parents come from Morocco”.

But AT5, a local TV station, reports that his friends say that his critizism on foreigners has became fatal for him. And that althoug he was a big grubler he was absolutly not a racist. But the police says they have no idear what the motive was.

See also:
Living Safely

Sources: Geen Stijl (1), Geen Stijl (2), AD, Parool, AT5 (1), AT5 (2)

Anti incitement measures

2005-03-18T19:00:00.000+01:00

In the battle against intolerance the Christian school Ubbo Emmius takes measures against incitement appearances. They prohibit shaved bold heads, colored shoelaces in army boots and discriminating or provocative music and clothing.

Source: fok

Killer Van Gogh is Hero

2005-03-16T09:00:00.001+01:00

A small message in the local newspaper (Amsterdam):

Teachers of the Mozaiek elementary school are very concerned about the radicalization of their pupils. Mohammed B. [Bouyeri :The killer of Van Gogh] is revered as a hero, when Hirsi Ali is shown on school TV they mimic ‘shooting’ movements. When they visited the Anne Frank House pupils said “they deserved it” and “They should have killed more Jews”.

The radical behavior is not new. The teachers of the Christian elementary school say they ask for years now attention to this problem. Teacher Marlene van den Berg: “After the September 11 attacks, they made a St. Nicolas [children feast where presents are packet in self made creative wrappings] surprise of the WTC towers, complete with flames and falling people. We started the dialog: What do you mean, why do you do this? Then you get a ruthless answer: They deserved it, they had to do it a long time ago”,

The radicalism dates according to Berg from before September 11. “It varies each year. Ten years ago we hearth in group 7 and 8 [age around 10-11 years old] pupil’s say: “We Moroccans take over the Netherlands”. Now we see pupil’s in-group 3 [age around 5 years old] - who can barely write – already write phonetically ‘Fuck you Netherlands’ on small papers. Pupils in-group 8 have a photo of Mohammed B. [Killer of Theo van Gogh] in their schoolbag, they seem him as their hero.

The worries of the teachers are also shared by education alderman Lieke Thesingh of the city department Oud-Zuid [old-south]. She warned burgomaster Cohen about it. “He turned pale” says Thesingh on a special neighborhood evening in the Diamand neighborhood [where Moroccans youth drove a Dutch family out of their home, but Cohen denied that their was a problem, to suggest later that the Dutch family was racist] where the teachers of the Mozaiek school told their story again.

The municipality administration knows about the problems, confirm sources on city hall. The problems are also on two other schools, which are not named. Recently safety civil servants of burgomaster Cohen have investigated the reports of the teachers. That showed who influenced the youth. They call the signs alarming.

UPDATE:
Strangely enough socialist (PvdA) Burgomaster Cohen does not want to take action. He says he is going to start an investigation at some schools in Amsterdam to research if there realy is a problem.

UPDATE 2:
Today it was on the commercial RTL news. If you like you can see the school and children in question: here (click on on "rumoer" to see the dutch language report).

When the reporter asks the children if it is true what the newspaper wrote: they deny, “they cannot proof it”, a girl say. An other says it is not true that the youngsters [who supposable wrote fuck you Netherlands] can not read Dutch, he grab’s a small boy and says: “look he can read Dutch”. The reporter says the school is now panicking. The teachers, who they ask, don't want to comment on the affair. They direct the reporter to the district council. There they say they are alarmed and that it is not tolerable behavior. A joke is ok, but this is too often and too wide spread. But he does not say, what he is going to do about it.

Can you start to immagine why Theo van Gogh despised burgomaster Cohen?

Source: Dutch Disease

Judge: Mohammed isn't a pedophile

2005-03-15T23:00:00.000+01:00

To day judge R. Paris ruled in the court case against Ayaan Hirsi Ali that she did not acted unlawfully when she talked about the Islam and Mohammed. A group of Muslims had started the trial to forbid her of speaking about the Islam, Mohammed and to forbid the sequel of submission. The judge said he has no indication that Hirsi Ali did grieve the Islamic people on purpose:

"[Hirsi Ali] chooses in her struggle against women suppression an maltreatment consciously for a method that stimulates debate about Islam reform"

But amazingly the judge also warned Hirsi Ali to be careful when she makes statements about the prophet. Hirsi Ali had in a newspaper interview said that according to our current norms and values the prophet was a "perverse tyrant" and a "pedophile". Judge Paris questions, "if it was needed to use these words".

"It looks like if [Hirsi Ali] with the use of these words has sought the limits of the permissible. The term pedophile has been chosen unfortunate because for that there would be the need of a pattern, although it is in the story an one time event".

Judge Paris said that she did not break the law when she said it, but that would be questionable if she would repeat saying it. The lawyer of the Muslims says that she has been warned and that she received a red ticket. But Hirsi Ali, later said on Radio 1 that the Dutch language is a rich language and she will find other words. I will use other words for the same event: "I still find it morally wrong". But she also said she has no intention to start bashing Islam or Mohammed.

The Muslims have appealed the case.

But there is more...
But that is not all the news around Hirsi Ali today. Integration Minister Verdonk was special guest for the national tree-planting day. She could not go to the event and send Hirsi Ali as her replacement to the 49th national tree-planting day with the theme: "Sow Peace". Hirsi talked to the organization and they where very happy to receive her. She also looked forward to it, because it would be her first public appearance since the murder on Theo van Gogh.

But today burgomaster J.J.M. Som forbids her coming to his city. He declared he could not guarantee her safety: "I do not take that responsibility". But after some political fall-out, he now seems to deny that and says that the organization does not want her to come. He is not available for comments on the affair, because at this very moment he is having a birthday party. But Hirsi Ali says the organization was very positive about her coming.

It turns out, that of the 600 school children not all are local school children they also invited children of an Islamic school out of the city of Heerlen and from an Egyptian school from the city of Amsterdam. And the Egyptian ambassador is invited....

Sight. I think PeakTalk is right in saying he expects that Hirsi Ali will probably continue her career in the USA. He is not the first one to suggest this; friends of her already predicted an international career as well. Many liberal colleagues also want to get rid of her and she knows that. She could be leaving sooner then any one in The Netherlands expects.

On TV
But Hirsi Ali revealed more in talk show "Barend en van dorp" (former football commentators who now do politics). For example that she is still waiting for normal housing. The civil servants of Donner want her first to sign a lengthy tennet contract. They say they want to do this right because otherwise they could get troubles in the future, for giving her to luxurious housing for to little money. If Hirsi Ali does not sign the contract, she does not get normal housing. Does a bit sound like extortion doesn't it?

At this moment she still is moved around the country and often does not know where she will sleep that night. She also cannot receive friends where she stays. Even when they forced her to go into hiding in the USA, they did not allow her friends to visit her, because that was deemed to dangerous.

When the talk show hosts ask how it is to live like that, with all those dead threats. She says, it is like being diagnosed as having a terminal disease and the doctor tells you that he does not know how long you have. And when asked about the future she says: "you have to make the best of life while you live".

But she was also the liberal politician. She ignored questions about former liberal (VVD) leader Hans Wiegel who wants to take the leadership of the party and who wants her out. But did talk about Wilders - declaration of independence. As a real liberal (VVD) she ridiculed it, as not being constructive and realistic.

Although she agrees with Wilders, that no Islamic schools should be allowed to be founded in The Netherlands. By this she seems to be positioned as the Muslim critical voice of the liberal party that can keep liberal voters in the party that do not feel comfortable with the rest of Wilders his capitalistic free market ideas, that many deride as extreme. She could be the lifeline of the liberal party.

See also:
Hirsi Ali in court
Muslims want to stop Hirsi Ali

Source: NRC, Telegraaf, Gemeente Kerkrade

Failed integration

2005-03-14T23:00:00.000+01:00

Interesting comments by Peaktalk on the failed integration in The Netherlands

Read his story here.

Police games

2005-03-14T20:00:00.001+01:00

This evening Dutch TV news reported that some police regions in The Netherlands play games. Games? You mean catching criminals? No, Games!

Police officers of the city of Dordrecht were caught speeding in Amsterdam by a fixed radar photo camera. You have to know, Amsterdam is very very far away from their police district Dordrecht. It turned out that these cops from Dordrecht were not in hot pursuit of a criminal but just racing to win their police game.

The game the police in the city of Dordrecht plays is to drive as far as possible from your police district during you’re shifts and take a picture to prove it. Since the location of police cars is centrally monitored, many police officers have to be involved in this gaming activity.

It is said they planned to race to Paris too.

Majority of Dutch agrees with Wilders

2005-03-14T20:00:00.000+01:00

According to a pole conducted by well-known pollster Maurice de Hond a majority of the Dutch people shares partly or completely the analyses of Dutch society made by Geert Wilders who published his declaration of independence last Sunday.

The pole results:

Geert Wilders says in his declaration of independence that the way that Dutch society has been governed this last decennium is the main cause of our problems. Do you agree?

Totally agree: 28%
Partly agree: 37%
Neutral: 7%
A bit disagree: 12%
Totally disagree: 13%
Don’t know / no answer: 2%

Change that people vote for Wilders (first number is without Wiegel as leader of the liberal party, second number is with Wiegel as leader of the liberal party):

Very big: 6% / 4%
Big: 3% / 3%
Reasonably big: 6% / 3%
Big nor small: 12% / 9%
Reasonably small: 9% / 7%
Small: 3% / 6%
Very Small: 59% / 62%
Don’t know / No answer: 2% / 4%

Source: Maurice de Hond

Dutch Declaration of Independence

2005-03-13T23:00:00.000+01:00

Independent conservative parliamentary member Geert Wilders has written a political manifesto that will be the basis of his new political party he is organizing after he left the Dutch Liberal (VVD) party. Some see Wilders as the new Pim Fortuyn because he is also in opposition to the closed Dutch political elite and has the potential to become the voice of the discontent Dutch voters. Just like the assassinated Pim Fortuyn he received threats and is loathed by the MSM and most other politicians. Below is the translation of the manifesto:

Declaration of Independence

By Geert Wilders
(Independent member of Dutch Parliament)

Introduction
Economical and social policies
Europe
Antilles
Security
Education
Immigration & intergration
Street terror
Civil rights
Voters and elected
Conclusion

(Translation version 0.2 – Please note this document still needs substantial translation revisions, please come back later to get a better version of the translation)

1. Introduction

So far the Dutch voter got to know me as a politician with clear views on the multicultural society, immigration, terrorism and security. Sadly enough this has lead to the mistaken view that my new political movement would be anti Islam. But nothing is more besides the truth.

The problems with the (radical) Islam are serious and deserve a much firmer answer than the current government provides. But the problems we are struggling with in the Netherlands have much deeper roots. We have to deal with many interconnected crisis’s that are the result of the incompetence of the political elite in Brussel [EU] and Den Haag [The Netherlands]. They seem to be unable to identify problems objectively and solve them effectively. Our country is unsafe, the public space is degenerated, the economy is ailing and the public sector is a mess.

My theme is freedom.

The new political movement will put regaining our freedom central, because our political, cultural and economical freedoms and independence are in bad shape at the moment.

For that reason I put freedom central. The freedom that your mother can walk on the street in the evening, the freedom that you keep enough of your salary to support your family, the freedom you have because your retirement fund is safe, the freedom that is there because our companies are thriving, the freedom you have because the government protects your family against terrorists, the freedom of a job and a good life, the freedom as a country to independently make its decisions.

That’s the message I want to deliver to a nation that is until now being hijacked and subjugated by a political elite who does not sufficiently rise into defense for the preservation of our democratic constitutional state, our safety, our prosperity or our independence. That the big political parties – PvdA [Socialists], CDA [Christian Democrats] and VVD [Liberals] – just always agree on the most important issues, was recently demonstrated again by their unanimous support for the European constitution and the admissions of Turkeys to the European union.

Under their leadership the Dutch middleclass has been ignored. The so-called progressive spirit of the time holds The Netherlands now for 30 years in its grip of political correctness with a megalomaniac government, multiculturalism and subjugation to Brussels [European] Bureaucrats. My former political party, the liberal (VVD) party, never wanted to free it self from this spirits of the time, instead it follows these same ideas until the present day.

I love The Netherlands very much – but I love less how it become now. I am proud on how we succeeded in building a free, prosperous and safe society. But that is more and more loosing its appeal.

Every fiber in my body resists the idea that we should adept our society to the norms and values of the Islamic culture, who is alien is to our culture. Colleague politicians accuse me of doing proposals that are ‘not possible’: laws and treaty would stand in the way of execution of my proposals. That kind of attitude makes me angry. First they let it all happen and then they put their hands in the air and shout: “Sorry, but we can’t do anything about it anymore”.
Needed is a firm political will, which will end the administrative culture of hiding behind self-invoked powerlessness to not change anything. There has to be change a lot.

First we have to realize that we are not powerless. In our country we can shape history our selves, control our destiny as a people, make independent decisions about the form of our government, our cultural and our economic system. We have to liberate our selves of a culture of low expectations.

I am not a politician who throws his hands in the air, as a way to apologize to the voters. I loathe insincere political correct behavior. A representative of the people should take his own responsibility and not waiver and above all represent the interest of his voters. That’s why I think creatively about measures to parry all our problems. If international treaties hinder us in serving our self-interest, we have to modify them and if needed redraw from them. We have to dare to dream and make possible what in Den Haag [center of Dutch politics] is kept for impossible.

I plea for a totally new kind of politics, with a totally different style and content. Not just talk, but action. Not just the nagging of Dutch politicians but objectively searching for solutions is my device.

The way that The Netherlands has been ruled in the last decennia is the most important reason for our current problems. I don’t want that an elite made-up out of cowards and scared people (of what political party what so ever) keep this country hijacked any longer. The political correct “sorry culture” when they are dealing with the multicultural drama is just one example of that seizure of The Netherlands by that same political elite. That is why I also want to combat them on other fronts as well. I want to give this country back to its citizens.

In this declaration of independence I plea for a number of serious measures, who restore our country to a state, as it should be: free, prosperous and independent. Our history now forces us to a struggle that is not without engagement, but most necessary. That struggle is about the continuation of The Netherlands as a recognizable nation, a country that is on the point to say it’s old roots goodbye and wants to trade that for multiculturalism, culture relativism and an European super state and that all under the leadership of a political elite that long a go lost its way.

Of that elite I declare myself independent.

2. Economical and social policies

That the Dutch government neglects her responsibilities is a directly caused by a changed conception of its duties. The state has become each time more involved in Dutch affairs and has been collecting higher taxes to do all those tasks. Meanwhile the tax burden has become so high that each working person only stops working for the government after the month of June. Also the local taxes go through the roof. The average Dutch citizen is confronted with a failing government but to which he has to pay a growing part of his salary.

An extensive and an in detailed laid out network of benefits, subsidies and provisions has made many citizens dependent on the government who as a mother goose watches over her bread and declares them for the smallest and minor things as in need for support. That conception of government responsibility has lead to an enormous bureaucracy and created a dependency that has lead to love of ease and inactivity.

My social economical plan consists of a list of self-reinforcing measures to dispose unneeded governments tasks, bureaucracy and regulations. This on the one hand makes lower taxes possible and on the other hand it creates jobs. It will create a better climate for entrepreneurs. It makes the economy grow and that is good for everyone. To make an end on the misuse, that goes together with the overly royal Dutch welfare state, I plea for a basic system. That way we can concentrate our solidarity on the group that really needs it.

Of course I know there are people who really are ill or really can’t find a job. The government should always take care for people like them. By making the social security less accessible for people who don’t want to work and take tough measures against fraud and un intended use, we create room for solidarity with the vulnerable. For them I want to fight.

Also, a bigger number of employed people will create a support platform for the old age pension AOW. The way how we now treat people in nursing homes who are part of the generation that have buildup our country [in the post world war II situation] is appalling and a decent country unworthy. I’m ashamed of it. The problems in the nursing homes are not only caused by organizational problems but also due to the increasing work pressure and under valuation of the hard working nursing personnel. This is unacceptable in a civilized society. We should reserve structurally more money for this. This is my conviction; a society that who does not offer his elderly a worthy and human existence, is not worth a penny.

But most of all I want to give the citizens more power back and room to shape their own lives independently. And by “space”, I first of all mean: financial space.

Thus I’m in favor of much lower taxes, both for individuals and companies. Each time countries lower their taxes substantially; as recently in Ireland and Eastern Europe, we have seen their economies prosper.

This plea for lower taxes is all but irresponsible populism. Lower taxes and a smaller government are the best guarantees for economic growth. Government spending undermines the economic growth. Getting rid of all kind of rules and supposed privileges (the ‘achievements’ of the unions) will lead to a more flexible labor market that will stimulate businesses enormously. Not the government but businesses – especially medium and small sized businesses – create jobs.

The unjustly praised ‘Rijnlandse model’ has made Europe the sick old man of the world. In 2004 the CBS [Central Bureau of Statistics] reported that we had a contracting labor market, not seen since twenty years ago. In the last quarter of 2004 the Dutch economy contracted as well. Europe (and The Netherlands) is demographically getting older, invests to little in innovation, has an education system that lacks quality and has to many immigrants that come too fast from a situation that lacks opportunity and they come in large numbers.

In the Netherlands there is nearly no attention for the long-term prospects of our economy Meanwhile the American economy accelerates away from us and are China and India threatening competitors. Economic stagnation and demise can go fast. Argentina for example was around 1900 one of the richest countries of the world, but collapsed nearly fully within 2 decades. That should not happen to the Netherlands. That’s why our economy has to excel again. Less talk, more enterprising. A healthy middle class is essential for a healthy economy. The income position of the middle class deserves more attention in our country.

To prevent the Argentinean scenario, I come with a plan for a new golden age of economic growth, one with firm measures for various sectors:

Lower taxes, including the ever-rising local taxes, which should directly be frozen and then lowered each year.
This policy of lower taxes should result in a flat tax, which will stimulate growth and hence will be self-financing.
The mortgage rent will always stay tax deductible for homeowners.
Fewer rules. The existing rules have to reduce by at least 50 percent. For each new rule we should first terminate two old ones. To start, we should close the ministry of economic affairs.
Investment in Research & Development, stimulation of innovation and long term protection by patents.
Stopping the “Dutch subsidy state”, because pumping money around is useless and expensive. Let the people decide for them selves for what charities they like to pay.
Development aid will be stopped, except emergency aid. The current support of 0,8% of the BBP (structurally 4 billion Euro on a yearly basis) will be reduced to 0,1%, only to be used for emergency aid. The function of Minister of development aid can be terminated.
To stimulate the development in poor countries we are in favor of ending international trading blockades for these countries and their produce.
Tough approach to fraud and corruption, certainly also at the government
More people working by eliminating minimum wage law and a more flexible employment laws [that make firing people easier].
A ruthless shrinking of the government (including of a thorough review of civil servants employment laws): 50% less civil servants.
A direct end to the “poldermodel” [consensus model based on multi lateral meetings with all partners like: government, employer organizations, unions, etc.], that means an end to the talk and meetings palaces like the SER [Social Economical Forum] and the “Stichting van de Arbeid” (Labor Society).
The abolishment of making collective agreement laws for a whole sector of employment.
But at the same time much more money for the elderly nursing homes.
Tough measures against fraud and other unintended use of social benefits, so that there can grow more support and solidarity with the really vulnerable and needed.
No export of social benefits – from child support to disabilities pay – to countries outside the EU.
Remigration will be greatly stimulated
Receivers of social benefits who are not fully disabled should as a return do community tasks (in care institutions, or public gardens) until they can return to regular jobs.
Child support will be limited to 2 children.
More attention to the income position of the middle group
The government will always rule about licenses within a prior limited reasonable time frame.

3. Europe

The clearance sale of Dutch interests and the own Dutch identity becomes very clear when one looks at how the politicians give away our sovereignty to a cast of bureaucrats in Brussel. The new European constitution is a clearance sale of Dutch sovereignty.

With a long process, consisting of small steps an autonomous process as started that will result in an undemocratic European unitary state, separated and high exalted above the members states of the European Union. A union that is miles away from its citizens. By the gradual abolishment of the national democracy and the political independence, the Netherlands will in the end become a province of the European super state. In which the roles of the big states becomes bigger and where the Netherlands on various terrains will be subordinate to the European Union. Our sovereignty as a nation – as country that knows very well how to solve its problems – is being squandered. And this all while many of our laws are already coming from the bureaucracy in Brussels. The total of European laws and rules already consists out of more than 100.000 pages. At the same time The Netherlands is one of the biggest Neto contributors to the European technocrats, to finance the preservation of their chat palaces in Strasbourg and Brussels.

Fact is that with the new European constitution no substantial tasks are given back to the member states. The authority of the EU will only be expanding further, from immigration to criminal law. These are all maters The Netherlands can better mange independently. The firm Danish immigration policy did not came about because of Europe but because the Danes choose for an opt-out and because of that could successfully go their own way. So where the Dutch loose their control over the immigration policy to Brussel, the Danish stay the boss in their own house.

Meanwhile the Dutch voter is never asked about it. On the contrary, he is constantly is been lied upon. When we would give up our strong guilder for the new Euro coin this would not lead to increased prizes, promised [liberal] minister Zalm. But the contrary is true, as any body knows who was outside politics. Turkey has to become a member of the European Union they say. The negotiations would be tough, the European leaders promised us. But on the day they gave them the green light, they reversed their own words with the vague compromise about the status of Cyprus.

I’m in favor of:

To setup a special treaty review commission that will evaluate all treaty obligations of The Netherlands and formulates proposals on all treaties that are not in our self interest – because these treaties limits us to much in our freedom to formulate and execute our own policies – to change or quit unilateral;
The rejection of the European constitution, because we loose too much power – for example on important areas like immigration and criminal law – to the bureaucrats in Brussels. But also because large countries – because of the increased number of qualified majority votes and by the introduction of population numbers as a basis of vote weight – by it get more influence on our internal law then The Netherlands it self. The elimination of more than sixty veto rights is unacceptable, just as the demise of a Dutch European commissioner with suffrage right. The Netherlands should stay independent;
The European should not expand any further.
Turkey in, The Netherlands out;
A special status for The Netherlands in the EU, just like the Danes and the British. We have to keep out autonomy on immigration affairs. Never may we allow a civil servant in Brussels or a French politician decide how many immigrants we need to accept. Also the criminal laws, welfare state, foreign policy, fishing and agricultural policies and other important policy area’s have to stay under Dutch control. We have to renegotiate our relation with the EU;
The Netherlands, must together with other countries who believe in free trade, as soon as possible open formal negotiations with the NAFTA members, to create a Atlantic Free Trade Association;
The euro is a big problem. The stability pact is a joke – many big countries like France, Italy and Greece have ignored the criteria. I plea not to invite any other country in to the euro zone, and if it happens we should think about abandoning the euro. Rather a strong guilder then a week euro;
The Dutch financial commitment to the EU is of an absurd size. Just like Margaret Thatcher our country should refuse to go along with this circus any longer in that kind of extend. I plea for an EU that disposes 90% of its current tasks, and thus the Dutch contribution can be lowered with 90% as well.

4. Antilles

Considering the danger and influx of (drugs) criminality, and considering the wide spread corruption and administrative incompetence of the Antilles, the government should promote strongly that the Antilles will be no longer a part of the Dutch kingdom.

The Antilles may no longer be a part of the kingdom.

5. Security

The seizure of The Netherlands population by an alienated elite shows also in the nonchalant way politicians handle a problem that most people find very important: criminality and safety.
We don’t want that the public space is occupied by, for example wandering and intimidating youngsters, or that streets due to violence and theft become one big no-go-area caused by the street terrorism, often (but not only) caused by persons of Moroccan decent. We want to walk the streets in safety on any hour of the day. And we want our selves, our families and our possessions to be safe in our own houses.

The rightful worries on this point where in the past contemptuous put to the side – it was said they where the result of being a reader of the wrong kind of newspaper. The change of being prosecuted is to small, the punishments to low and are not fully executed and that in prisons that do not differentiate them selves by being stern and sober.

If the government is to serve the people and not the other way around, then that means that the first priority of that state should be to protect its citizens against violence and insecurity. The Justice department should be the top priority of a good government. The leading principle in handling security, the government needs to choose not primary for the culprit but for the victim. I always choose for the victims of a criminality and never for the culprits. In a constitutional state the guilty have to be punished and the innocent protected. The Dutch constitutional state does already for a long time not satisfy these criteria. The just character of our constitutional state has disappeared behind the horizon and has been compelled by necessity to pragmatism and unacceptable relativism of crime.

In The Netherlands the police – outside her own fault – often not to be seen anywhere because the government lets the police write traffic tickets for minor infractions: In the year 2005 more than 10 million.
This development has made it that in The Netherlands not all effort is made in fighting all kinds of crimes, but that it has become to do ones best with the means left available. Due to this policy, threatened citizens can not be helped, but at the same time there can be made all kinds of efforts to make sure that a convicted criminal, after he served his time, is assured of a normal life. This is the world upside down.

That is why the weakened and astray Dutch constitutional state needs a thoroughly structural change. More professionalism in the jurisdiction, more democratic control in the jurisdiction, a prosecution policy that will prosecute each crime and focus more on the deed and the victim instead for the culprit. These are some of the results this structural change leads to.

We have to thoroughly reorganize the police. No-go-areas are unacceptable. If needed, we deploy the riot police as well as the army to restore order. The lack of manpower is a problem but the bureaucracy is possible even a bigger enemy of our safety. Every crime report should swift and serious be processed. Police offices in all parts of the Netherlands should be open 24 hours a day.

Especially in the security domain are a series of emergency measures very much needed, such as:

The introduction of the three strikes you’re out principle: after three violent crimes you get life.
The introduction of minimum sentences.
Higher punishments for acts of violence.
Rather five prisoners on one prison cell, then one criminal released to soon.
The abolition of superannuation principle for serious violent crimes.
The abolition of the early release [right] of prisoners.
The abolition of unsupervised trial leave for people in preventive detention.
The abolition of community work sentences for crimes that involve violence and threats.
The introduction of reeducation camps.
The introduction of more structural damage payments for victims.
Extension of preventive searches to the whole of The Netherlands.
Creation of a ministry of safety by merging the home affairs and the Justice ministry.
A steep extension of the number of police officers, so that they can become serviceable to the citizens and ticketing occurs again because the law is broken and not to collect as much money possible.
Making it (internationally and nationally) possible to denaturalize criminals of violent crimes who have a double nationality.
When needed the military needs to be deployed to upholding civil order.

6. Education

Education is essential for the well being of a society. Because the Education department was for years dominated by the PvdA [socialists] our country is now saddled with a system of ‘basis vorming’ [basis forming], ‘eerste fase’ [first phase] and ‘tweede fase’ [second fase] that has totally eroded our educational system. Good citizenship is one of my themes and that is why I plea to test pupils more thoroughly on a firm knowledge around culture, national identity and history which will give an important contribution to the development to their personality. This should be the focus of the norms and values debate that otherwise get stuck in vagueness. Apart from that, we have to get rid of the idea that civil servants in Den Haag [the political capital] should make the curriculum for all the schools. Let the parents and the teachers determine the content of the education and let the subsequent educational institutes freely select their students.

Instead of all those big and unwieldy anonymous fused teaching fabrics, I want to have small scale schools that are for human beings. The ‘ambachtschool’ [Technical instructional education], breading ground for generations of hardworking Dutch fooks, has to return. Just like the reformatory for pupils who are out of control and need a firm approach.

The freedom of education is important, except when this freedom is misused to introduce a type of education that his hostile to our society. That’s why inspections and quality monitoring stays important. For a ministry of education I see no need. That will be abolished. It is all about well motivated teachers who need to get trust and space. We have to end the current diarrhea of directives and memo’s that come from the ministry of Education.

Within the Islam and the Muslim community the separation between state and charge is not fully recognized. That is why the founding of Islamic schools cannot be seen as something other than harbinger of segregation and backwardness, because these schools do not contribute to the development of Western citizenship values. Article 23 of the constitution will stay, but Islamic schools may not be founded. Different situations don’t need to be treated equally.

Pupils need to be tested more thoroughly on their knowledge of culture, national identity and history.
The ambachtscholen [Technical instructional education] should return.
The ministry of Education should be abolished.
The confidence in teachers and parents should be restored they should get the primate.
Islamic schools may not be founded.

7. Immigration and intergration

Islam and democracy are not compatible. But Muslims could be won over for our Democracy. But I resist the abuse that groups of Moslems make of our rights and freedoms of our constitutional state. Some abuse the freedom of religion to spread hatred, the freedom of education to set on children against our society, the freedom association for activities that are meant to undermine our society. We have a jurisdiction that (until now) makes it impossible to arrest people (for example: potential perpetrators of terror attacks or youngsters who want to go attend a trainings camp in Afghanistan) preventively or to expel and denaturalize criminal culprits of violent crimes who have a dual nationality.
This has to change.

We have to deny the use of our civil rights to does (Islamic) radicals who want to eliminate our constitutional state and civil rights. That will not weaken our constitutional state but will strengthen it. This is already possible in Germany.

Although the number of asylum seekers as dropped in recent year, it still is too high. The enormous numbers of rejections says it all. That is why no more asylum seekers should be allowed to enter; all political refugees should be helped in the region. There will be made exceptions for those political refugees that come from regions that have demonstrable lack of refugee capacity, with a maximum of 5000 per year. For we have exceeded the limits of our absorption capacity a long time a go.

The use of headscarfs in public functions will become prohibited.

International treaties that hinder us in taking the right measures to solve integration problems, such as the (provisional) closure of our borders for the temporary stop for marriage and family reunion based immigration of non western immigrants from Turkey and Morocco. If Turkey in the near future become an European Union member and we sooner of later get an invasion of immigrants, we no longer can force them to follow integration courses, because they will be EU citizens.

Not only should radical imams leave the country, we should also undertake much firmer action to close radical mosques (and dissolve their administration). Financing by radicals – such as salafist groups out of Morocco or Wahhabitish groups out of Saudi Arabia – should be prohibited.

A tough approach on all these issues will not only be to the benefits of Dutch society but also have positive effects for the majority of Muslims in our country who have nothing to do with extremism or terrorism.

The Netherlands is full. The problems with integration are enormous. I want the integration of the people of foreign decent who now stay in our country to become a success, but bringer water to the sea is seldom effective. That is why we have to limit immigration and we have to close the borders for non-western immigrants – for family forming and reunion – for at least five year. Marriage immigration based on marriages between nephews and cousins will be forbidden. Immigrants who already live in the Netherlands should get a by law binding integration duty. In case they fail to integrate enough – and do not have the Dutch nationality - they should loose their staying permit and leave The Netherlands, independent of how long they already stayed in The Netherlands.

Getting the Dutch nationality becomes less easy. Only persons who qualify for all their citizens’ demands, have at least 10 years legally worked in The Netherlands and have during those 10 years never committed any criminal offence will be eligible for the Dutch nationality. As long as someone does not have the Dutch nationality they can not claim social benefits.

Integration means choosing for Dutch society. It is illogical to give people who do not have the Dutch nationality, suffix rights. That’s why the suffix rights for Dutch municipality elections for foreigners will be revoked.

Dutch is the national language and that will become party of the constitution. All text and announcements from the government will only be given in Dutch. No leaflets in Arabic or Turkish.

(Islamic) radicals can loose their civil rights
Temporary stop on the admission of asylum seekers, help should take place in the region, for exception there will be a quota.
The use of headscarfs in public functions will be prohibited.
Immigration for marriage and family reunion will be prohibited for 5 years; marriage between nephews and cousins will never be facilitated by immigration.
Radical mosques will be closed and their administrations dissolved.
Financing from extremist countries will be prohibited.
Naturalization can only come about after working 10 years in the Netherlands and during that one has not committed any criminal offence during those 10 years, mean while their can be no social benefits claims.
The suffix rights during municipality elections of foreigners will be revoked.
All government scripts will only be done in Dutch.

8. Street terror

Street terror is an enormous problem that is too often ignored. Street terror takes place in many cities and villages and is often, but not always, perpetrated by immigrants. We can no longer tolerate this. The protection of citizens and families should be forcefully taken at hand. Violent criminal acts needs to become punishable by denaturalization en eviction. Here will rule reciprocity. For example if people in Morocco have a double nationality and commit a crime in Morocco they can be denaturalized and evicted. It does not make sense that The Netherlands cannot treat Moroccan’s with a double nationality the same. To make it possible the Dutch government should try to get support in the EU to alter the European treaty about nationality. If this not becomes a possibility we cancel the treaty unilateral.

In case double nationality should violent crimes be made punishable by denaturalization and eviction.

9. Civil rights

The freedom of speech is the most important right in a free and democratic society and prevails over other civil rights. The other civil rights should stay equal in priority.

An imam who wishes a politician dead, may – how abject as that may be – wish and even say that. That does not mean inciting violence, hatred or other crimes are punishable by the law and that the law gives enough possibilities to do so. Also the freedom of religion is already limited by our constitution. The writer of the constitution has written that there is freedom of religion within the boundaries of the law. Incitement of hate, calling for violence (against woman, homosexuals or the democratic constitutional state) needs to be prosecuted firmly by the Justice department.

Freedom of speech is the most important civil right.

10. Voters and elected

The citizens want a different kind of politics. The fact that a quarter of the voters during the municipality elections, votes for local political parties, shows an aversion for the old politicians and a wish for renewal. I want to stand up for the local parties, without formally representing them.

That The Netherlands is hold hostage by a political elite is shown best by how the courtiers of Denhaag treat the voters. Once in the four years (usually) the citizens are allowed to vote. But by using a shady coalition process for coalition building, the ladies and gentlemen politicians decide for them selves what happens with that vote. The voter has no control on a system, that with his vote brings people in parliament, he does not even know. Let alone that those parliamentary members feel obligated to account for their choices and voting record. Parliament is full of gray mousses that have in common that they are preoccupied with their self-interest and not, or hardly, are judged on their functioning. This nepotism has to end: to distribute all nice jobs in the public administration (for example the governors of the queen for the provinces, burgomasters, and other functions in consultative councils and public administration) under them selves.

This self-supporting system that has isolate it self from society, I despise. On a turning point in the history of The Netherlands have our forefathers declared independence by the acte van Verlating (1581). They canceled their support for a monarch who thought that the people were there for him, instead that he was there for the people. Also for this reason is again a declaration of independence justified.

I want politics to be no longer deaf to the daily problems with which ordinary people struggle every day. For that reason I am in favor of more direct forms of democracy.

Thus I am in favor:

An electoral system in which there is a more direct relationship between voter and elected who should be accountable to the voter; Not an introduction of a district system but a system that enhances and makes more transparent the bond between the voter and the elected; Make the number of votes on a political candidate leading for his position on the party list.
The number of priority votes to elect a political candidate directly into parliament should be much lower.
Binding referenda on subjects that are essential for the future of this country, for example: modifications on the constitution or the acceptance of important treaties.
Limit the number of provinces (an nearly unneeded administration layer) to four [now twelve].
Abolishment of the senate [different from American senate], their function as chambre de reflexion can be done by the Raad van State.
Reduce the number of parliamentary members from 150 to 100, so that they can focus on the big picture.
The abolishment of subsidies for political parties, who should stand on their own feet, by transparently gaining support and finance from society.
Direct elections by the citizens for burgomasters, big city police commissioners and members of the courts; the introduction of trial by jury, to make sure that the voice of the people is also hearth in the courts.
Independent, diverse media. That is why we should limit state television to 1 channel [now 3], solely to be used only by the NOS. All government subsidies to all other media outlets are stopped directly and permanently.
Limit the excessive side jobs of administrators, such as the commissionaires of the Queen. All what these government servants earn above 10% of their salary that is paid by the taxpayer will be given back to the taxpayer.
The immediate abolishment of the special social security benefits for politicians and administrators, they get the regular social security benefits just like all other citizens.
The immediate introduction of rules that makes it mandatory to former parliamentary members and other politicians to seek jobs while living on social security.

11. Conclusion

The Netherlands I love is a Netherlands that is again free, safe and prosperous and where the government is for the citizens and not the other way around:

A Netherlands that keeps it own identity of which it is proud, and not to be taken over by or adapt to alien cultures, or dilute to much by joining super national institutions.
A Netherlands that is not controlled by fear for attacks or street terror, a country that fights crime and the threat of terrorism with the appropriate measures.
A Netherlands with a flourishing small and medium sized businesses and with extra attention to the median incomes; both are the backbone of society.
A Netherlands that gives young people changes, respectfully handles the elderly and invests in a life worthy existence for people in nursing homes.

This is in short my program. All issues and many other areas of importance that are not mentioned here – from health care to environmental policies – will be handle later. But this is what the voter in general can expect from my new political movement. My program does where needed an appeal on a strong government, but wants to push back its influence in other areas. Because I believe in the power, pride and honor of the Dutch citizens. I know they want to have the space to take their responsibilities and shape their own lives.

Who want to be taken by the hand, like a baby and is willing to deposit a large part of his hard earned money to the IRS, has to go with Wouter Bos from the PvdA [Socialists]. Who just like the liberal manifest [new manifest of the liberal party] not wants to choose between left and right, has to go with the VVD [liberals]. Who wants to control is own life, in a country that offers him freedom and security and that does a call on his self-sufficiency and creativity, is welcome in my new movement.

The choice is up to the citizens. I will work free and independently. I will work out my program without concessions. I will come with a list of qualified parliamentary candidates with a spine. This all when time is due.

I hope and wish that people who underwrite the content of this program, want to support the development of this new political movement. I call on them to provide this support.

I hope that the citizens of The Netherlands want to join me on a path to a better Netherlands. Without excuses and reservations I choose for a free, prosperous and independent Netherlands. Our families, our history and our future deserve it.

Ounce our forefathers changed this swamp delta in an oasis of tolerance and economical success, with a flag that is all over the world synonymous with freedom. That flag deserves it to keep floating in freedom.

Geert Wilders

March 13, 2005

See also: First Speech Geert Wilders

Source: Groep Wilders - Onafhankelijkheidsverklaring

Hirsi Ali on 60 minutes

2005-03-13T21:00:00.000+01:00

Tonight.

Hat Tip: Roger L. Simon via PeakTalk

Wilders in the news

2005-03-13T20:00:00.000+01:00

This evening Geert Wilders, the Dutch parliamentary member who together with Hirsi Ali is under threats by Islamic terrorists, was big news. On the popular 8 o’clock state news, Geert Wilders, presented his firs political manifest since he left the liberal (VVD) party. The name of the manifest:

Declaration of Independence
(Click here to download the Dutch language manifest)

And that is no accident, because it is indeed a capitalist manifesto based on American style freedom. In a TV show later that evening they interviewed him. In the program Wilders says that he declares him self free of the Dutch political elite who refuses to even name the issues at hand. He says that freedom is his number one issue. The reporter asks him:

“But that is what every body wants”

Wilders:

“Yes, but it does not come about”

The reporter says he sounds like Pim Fortuyn (who was assassinated just before the 2002 elections). But Wilders refuse to be made a copycat. In the interview it becomes clear that Wilders want to reduce the government drastically and loose 50% of the civil servants.

Wilders says people do not represent the people: “Politician are mostly busy with their own thing”. He says he wants people do determine their own life and not like the socialist want to take from every Euro, 50 cents away for the government. He is also clear about the EU:

“Turkey in, means The Netherlands out”

When the reporter asks about his support he answers that he does have support but that due to security reasons he cannot name them yet. And then the reporter rounds the interview with a very biased and most likely pre studied final question:

“How big is the change that you later will be locked away and that your ideas will become that of a recluse?”

Or isn't it a quesion?

Dutch report is working on a translation of the manifesto: here.

Dutch Special Forces to Afghanistan (2)

2005-03-13T18:00:00.000+01:00

The Dutch government announced earlier that they are going to send Dutch Special Forces to Afghanistan where they will join operation Enduring Freedom. Last week a majority in Dutch parliament supported the mission. During the debates in parliament it was revealed that the Dutch forces will not only do recon and intelligence missions but also will do offensive combat operations. Although the government say, they are not deployed in an area where this is a daily routine.

The Dutch socialist (PvdA) the largest opposition party does not support the mission. The Dutch socialist priority was with the treatment of the Afghan terrorists and Taliban fighters. They say the Dutch government has to little guarantees that the captured terrorist are not treated well and for example are send to Guantánamo Bay. They also say that they worry that Dutch soldiers can be prosecuted when ‘others’ mistreat their captured war prisoners.

Government coalition partner, the tiny socialist-liberals (D66) had the same objections as the socialists, but in the end voted in support of the military mission. They thought that operation Enduring Freedom, the battle against the terrorist, was of higher priority.

The Greens (Groenlinks) and the communists (SP) were against the mission. The List Pim Fortuyn (LPF), Geert Wilders (Groep Wilders), Christian Union (Christen Unie), Calvinist (SGP) were all in favor of the mission.

The Dutch Socialist could not be convinced by foreign affairs minister Bot who said that he would use the mission to maximize the pressure on the American to change the legal position of the enemy combatants captured in Afghanistan.

The Dutch government does not recognize the legality of the American argument that the Geneva treaty does not apply for these enemy combatants and that they can be kept imprisoned indefinitely. During his last visit, Bot told parliament, he had got the assurance of Defense under minister Wolfowitz, that it is possible to soon have a meeting with Dutch and American experts to discuss the issue.

But there is still a more pressing issue. Just like with the Iraqi mission there is confusion about the “rules of engagement” under which the Dutch soldier have to operate. The government says there is no confusion and that the Dutch soldiers operate under Dutch law and with special Dutch rules of engagement that are not the same as the US and UK rule sets. The Dutch justice will investigate incidents.

But the union of military personnel says there is confusion about the rules of engagement. That means that the Dutch soldiers are not safe from legal prosecution by Dutch civilian prosecutors. This is exactly what happened in Iraq, soldiers where treated as if they where civilian police men in peacetime. Dutch Marine Officer Erik O. who is still being prosecuted for firing a warning shot that allegedly hit an Iraqi looter. Also the Dutch military police complained, they have no military training and their people didn’t even feel safe in Iraq. They see it as big problem to investigate ‘incidents’ in a combat zone like Afghanistan. But politicians don’t seem to understand what war really is…

See also: Dutch Special Forces to Afghanistan (1)

Source: Intel

European constitution: NO!

2005-03-11T20:00:00.000+01:00

How can anybody be against the new European constitution? The thing is 262 pages long and I bed nobody has read it. It is probably not even made with the intention to be read. That is a neat thing, because it’s hard to argue against a “good” thing if you don’t know what it is.

So you won’t hear me say that I think this whole document, which they call a 'constitution' is a bureaucrat’s power manual to the EU. I just can’t say that, I did not read the thing. Although I have read articles from ‘experts’ who tried and they said they could not either understand it, it's to complex. So that makes two good reasons to vote no:

Never vote in favor for something that is going to change a lot of things, but which nobody can explain to you.
Never vote for a constitution that you cannot understand. Because that is not a constitution meant for you.

So I was delighted to read this Times article (Hat tip: Modern Tribalist):

Dutch lose their faith in Europe

Quotes from the article:

"a majority of its citizens are opposed, and by no small margin"

"A recent poll was telling. It showed that 42 per cent of Dutch would choose to vote “no”, against 28 per cent who plan to vote “yes”. The Netherlands is the only founding member of the EU in which opinion polls suggest that the constitution will be rejected."

"The Government hopes that, with the Netherland’s two big neighbours — France and Germany — likely to ratify the constitution just before their own referendum, the Dutch will feel too isolated to reject it. They have launched a massive TV advertising campaign to get their message across."

"But Maurice de Hond, the Netherlands’ most prominent pollster, said that the referendum on the constitution was likely to become a protest vote about the direction of the EU. 'People are voting about everything but the constitution,' he said. 'They are voting about the euro, about the ten new countries, about Turkey, about the Government. Turkey is a big issue and a much clearer issue than the constitution, which they have never read.'"

This all thanks to the Dutch politicians, who so adequately rule the Dutch kingdom. How ironic. They will have to do a lot of explaining if they spoil the party. But look it from the bright side: The Dutch will have back there role as guide country of the world, well ok EU.

But don’t expect them to loose easy, we can now expect the biggest propaganda campaign ever.

Important and related:
The Dutch on the Netherlands

Government acting tough

2005-03-11T19:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch biggest newspaper Telegraaf reported the following story:

The prosecutor asked three years imprisonment against the 24-year-old Stefan van T. who was arrested last November when he allegedly was preparing a firebomb attack on a mosque in the city of Venray (South Netherlands). At the time his arrest he and his friend Peter G. (20) had four Molotov cocktails in his car, they where already close to the building. The policemen who where guarding the Mosque noticed them, their identity and vehicle registration number was already know to them because an anonymous person informed them of the upcoming attack.

The idea of the attack came from Peter G., who will be trailed later. After the dead of Theo van Gogh on November 2, there had “to be done a deed”, he thought. And that evening the 10th of November, after a daylong siege in Den Haag where police arrested Jason Walters and Ahmed Ismael Akhnikh the boys taught it was time “to deter the radical Muslims”.

SMS messages in the hours before the arrest: “We have to do something. At 3 O’clock it burns down. It’s terror alarm. It is war and together we will make a difference”.

Stefan van T. had said to the police: “There is so much going on in the Netherlands. I wanted to do my part. That didn’t work out now.” Just like Peter G. he calls him self “rather a nationalist then a racist” under the slogan: “own people first”.

He was a member of the “Vereniging Nederlandse Arische Broederschap” (translaties as: Society of Dutch Arian Brothers) and had at home a pamphlet that announced the “Rudolf Hess-mars” in Germany.

According to the psychologist who exanimated him, he was angry about what “in The Netherlands by foreigners had happened: those people take over the country.” He was found slightly less accountable for his actions: he was a somewhat childish boy who was immature.

“The society was out of balance and that makes it the more objectionable that they wanted to stir unrest”, said the prosecutor mr. W.C.J. Stienen.

“And added to that, is the contempt for ethnic minorities”

Against the 20 year old Mandy M. in who’s house in the city of Horst the explosive cocktails where made, the prosecutor asked a 10 months prison sentence of which 5 moths conditional. The prosecutor argued that the preparations for an arson attack were proven. He tough it was also proven for the 20 year old Dusty van H. who quickly had gone to the house of his parents to fetch a funnel to make it easier to fill the bottles with the gazz-oill mix. For the rest was not active in the execution of the plan. The prosecutor asked 8 months against him of which 4 conditional.

This Friday the judge did not extend their detention under remand. The verdict will follow later.

Source: Intel-web / Telegraaf

1 year a go

2005-03-11T07:33:00.000+01:00

3 Imams to be expelled (3)

2005-03-10T22:00:00.000+01:00

Local newspaper “Eindhovens dagblad” interviewed the two imams of the Al Fourqaan mosque who the Dutch government wants to expel from the Netherlands. In the interview they say: “We are against violence and we are not against western society. We think everybody should abide the Dutch law, also Islamic people”. They seem not to be impressed by the fact that the Dutch government wants to expel them.

Both Abou Tareq (41), a Bosnian national but who originally came from Sudan, and Mohammed Mahmoud (34) from Kenya say they have done noting that is not allowed by Dutch law. That is why their lawyer protests the ministerial decision to expel them.

“Yes we are Salafist”, they both admit, “if you mean by that that we want to go back to the original sources of Islam. But that does not mean we oppose Western society”. Both imams, who where invited by the mosque in 1996 and 1998 to come to the Netherlands, say that it would be ideal that the secular laws would be in accordance with the Islamic laws. “But that does not mean that you can impose those Islamic laws on the society. That is only possible by Democratic choice. This is in fact the same thing as orthodox Christians would want”.

The both deny that they have asked other Muslims to join the holy war, the Jihad. They both say that also somebody as Usama Ben Laden, does not have the right to call for the holy war against the West by giving fatwa’s. Tareq: “He does not have the authority, because he is not a expert. Usama Ben Laden has inflicted a lot of damaged to Islam.”

“But on the other hand”, adds Mahmoud, “Muslims are to often put in the corner with accusations that they are followers of Bin Laden and Al Qaeda”. Tareq: “The AIVD [Dutch intelligence service] was never able to register any thing unlawful here, although they eavesdrop the whole mosque including all phone lines”.

Abou Tareq graduated at the Islamic university of Khartoum in Sudan and later studied English in Bosnia. His colleague studied on the Islamic university of Medina in Saudi Arabia and later at the university of Pretoria, South Africa. Both are seen in the Islamic community in the Netherlands as experts [the newspaper says], who because of their knowledge of Islam are in high regard.

Both say they received threat letters from Moslems, who see them as accomplice of the AIVD. “Thus the AIVD is going to expel it’s own staff” say the imams laughing. Abou Tareq tells about the times he called for calm under his followers. When three years a go the tension between Israel and Palestine escalated, a young Muslim in England stabbed a Jewish woman. “That is not allowed by Islam, that is what we told at the time. You’re not allowed to be your own judge”.

Even longer a go, in 1998, their was a visit in our mosque of two people who believed in the takfir. They think that only they represent the real Islam. All others they consider unbelievers. “I challenged them to have a discussion. I told them: it not in your hands to decide who is a real Moslem or not. But they did not want to debate it”, says Mahmoud.

Also the idea as if Muslims have the right to steal from the unbelievers and to obstruct Dutch government is according to Abou Tareq, not true. “You have to follow the laws of the country. Also stealing is not part of Islam”. The fact that youth people like the members of the Hofstad group think they can use violence, is based on totally wrong ideas about Islam, they both say. “Historic evidences does not show that you can solve problems with violence”, says Abou Tareq. “The AIVD and the politicians have a totally wrong idea about what the Islam is. They should let them selves get inform better by people who really know something about Islam” they both say. They offer to inform the AIVD about the Islam.

See also:
3 Imams to be expelled (2)
3 Imams to be expelled (1)
The conquest of Europe

Source: Eindhovens Dagblad

Rumor: Elections ahead!

2005-03-10T21:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch language blog Dutch Disease reports:

According to a source, which Dutch Disease says is known and well connected, Dutch politicians are thrown into confusion:

“This government is going to fall in May or just a bit later. The CDA want to get rid of [prime minister] Balkenende [CDA] and will have a different party leader who will run in the new elections of September 2005. Wiegel [an former liberal (VVD) leader who was successful and who wants to rescue the VVD by getting rid of Hirsi Ali] says he does not want to wait two more years (At that time he will be 65) so he will take over the liberal (VVD) leadership this year! The liberal (VVD) expects this way to effectively stop [neocon] Wilders with this move [because it’s hard to run for elections if you’re kept in jail]. It is nearly certain that there will come a purple III government [purple is the name for a Socialist (PvdA) – Liberal (VVD) coalition government, so much derided by Fortuyn and the Dutch voters]. The prime minister ship, they [the liberals] think is a ‘thing’ that is separate from party politics, a ‘thing’ they [the liberals] have never had before. [The liberals were always too small to provide the prime minister for any government so far]. Wiegel has never has never ever had it [either] so he wants this ‘thing’.”

And indeed lately Wiegel is working hard to get the leadership of his liberal party. The man always stayed popular since he stepped down as leader of the liberal party in 1981. Although it must have surprised many that he attacked Hirsi Ali. Wiegel always wanted to be prime minister, he was a successful liberal leader but he never managed to become prime minister. After the assassination of Fortuyn in May 2002, the "Lijst Pim Fortuyn" (LPF) did not have a leader any more, but poles indicated that they could get the more votes then any other political party. On election night, Wiegel could be seen on television with a typical "LPF" tie (Fortuyn was famous for his ties), would he want to fill in the gap that Fortuyn left? And become the next prime minister? It sure looked that way! At the time the LPF could not come up with anybody who could do it better then him and Wiegel was still popular. But to the surprise of both Wiegel and Balkenende the Christian Democratic Party (CDA) got the most votes. It looked like if many people who wanted to vote on Pim Fortuyn did not want to vote on the unknown decapitated LPF, who's members where as good as unknown. You could see on the faces of both Wiegel and Balkenende that this was not what they had expected.

Many liberals think the liberal party has become too right wing, they oppose people like Hirsi Ali and are happy they got rid of Wilders. Also various liberal (VVD) ministers have said they want to start a new political party together with the socialist (PvdA). So this move, as described in the rumor, could be their first step to union. Various socialists (PvdA) have said they wanted to start a new political movement, their leader Wouter Bos even said he had thought about eliminating the Socialist (PvdA) party and start something totally new. In both political parties there are many who favor a union.

At this very moment our busy bodies in Den Haag are arguing for weeks now, about a new system to elect the burgomaster. Not really a thing that the Dutch voter cares much about. But it keeps the politicians busy in their games for power. I would not at all be at all surprised if they use this elected burgomaster to let the government collapse, it fits their tradition of opportunism.

One thing is certain; there is political firework ahead. The "old politicians" fight to stay in power. War on terror? Who cares about that...

Source: Dutch Disease

Who gave Constantinople the Works?

2005-03-10T20:00:00.000+01:00

On June 1st the Dutch can vote on the EU constitution. The French have announced they will hold their vote three days earlier, on May the 29th. I was already wondering why just before the Dutch vote.

EnglandExpects blog has the answer, the 29th of may is the anniversary date of the fall of Constantinople to the Turks!

How symbolic…

Source: EnglandExpects

Tired of hiding

2005-03-10T19:00:00.000+01:00

Last Friday The International Herald Tribune ran this story:

Tired of hiding, 2 Dutch legislators emerge

In the article they interview Geert Wilders and Ayaan Hirsi Ali who are under threat by Islamist, the same types who murdered Theo van Gogh:

Wilders:
"The people who threaten us are walking around free and we are the captives," said Wilders. "I understand it, but it is also difficult to grasp."

Hirsi Ali:
"I often don't know where they will take me," she said. "They are keeping me alive. But I cannot concentrate on my work. I need a place where I have my desk, my books, my papers, a home where I can meet with people"

Read the whole article: here

H/T: Max Black who got it from Eursoc

Minister: The Netherlands is unstable

2005-03-09T21:00:00.000+01:00

Liberal (VVD) healthcare ministers Hoogervorst pleas in weekly magazine Elsevier for limiting the number of political parties in the Netherlands. Otherwise The Netherlands becomes unmanageable he argues.

He thinks The Netherlands has become instable and compares the situation in The Netherlands with the “latin situation’ in Italy during the 80’s. The minister pleas for two political blocks. According to the minister many surrounding countries have that and that system leads to more political stability.

When he looks at the voting behavior of the Dutch voter he sees a fickle and zapping voter. He argues that the current voting system is not equipped to handle that. I guess he must be thinking about the voters uprising lead by late Fortuyn.

But more than 20% of the voters voted on Fortuyns political party after he was assassinated. So what kind of measures will stop a new political party that collects more than 20% or 30% of the votes?

But this is not all he also blames the media. After the voters revolution lead by Fortuyn, the media gives much more attention to politics. He also thinks that is bad: “To many political parties battle for too little differences and too much media are hunting for to little news”. He thinks that eventually this will lead to less interest in politics and that will again lead to more unpredictable voters. A two party system will lead to less TV spectacles but the remaining debates will be more meaning full according to the healthcare minister.

It is amazing how this minister takes things upside down. He is right to say that there is little difference between the political parties, but he refuse to see that as part of the problem. If voters are not satisfied with what they get offered they will vote for new political parties. In a democracy you can not blame the voters for that.

Don't think he is alone in his ideas. Ever since the voters up rise, the politicians talk about voting reforms. They want to do anything to keep power, except changing their policies.

Source: Elsevier

Please report crime

2005-03-09T19:00:00.000+01:00

In Holland the government always tries to fix thinks by starting a media campaign AKA propaganda. Their latest idea is to start a campaign with TV and radio commercials to stimulate people to report crimes. Because in The Netherlands only 29% of the crime victims report to the police and that number gets lower every year. The campaign is part of the safety and security program of the government.

But why should people bother to report crimes to the Dutch police? They solve less than 15% of reported crimes. That is not the only reason; it is also very difficult to report a crime. First of all, you have to wait, wait and wait. It for sure is going to take you hours. But besides that, they often refuse to help you and say you have to make an appointment and come back another day! That is, if they deem it important enough, otherwise they just refuse to take the report. And when they finally take your report, they say it's in part your own fault and then they start pointing out how you could have prevented it. It’s that insurance companies force you to report many cases otherwise the number would probably be even lower.

Not surprisingly, many Dutch people are not very satisfied with the results the Dutch police produce. That could also be seen in the on-line edition of Dutch biggest newspaper, the Telegraaf. Below the press report about the plans they included some reactions of readers, something I didn't saw them do ever before. In the letters to the paper the people write that they are angry and that reporting crimes has no use. The police are just writing tickets to meet their ticket quotas one reader writes.

And they are right, the police still finds plenty of time to write speeding tickets. They seem to be really good in that. Not that you notice them doing it. They do it sneaky. They photograph you and you receive a financial settlement by post. Pay it and the problem is gone.

Last December the Dutch government introduced an automated full time car surveillance system called “Traject controlle”. The system makes two (or more) photographs of your car and stores it together with the time on a computer. The computer has special software that reads the license plate information. The computer then calculates your average speed between the two photographs. When you’re average speed is too high, you receive the speeding ~~tax~~ ticket by mail. Pay it and the problem is gone.

But some people don’t take it any more. Dutch MSM is now reporting (Telegraaf, NU.nl) about sabotage of the new "Traject controlle" installation. This is what happened to two cases of the system:

This computer looks broken

The door does not close anymore

It is completely trashed

But what about the other cassing?

But what strange, all this stuff is just for takes. Doesn't the police know what happened with their system? They cannot even protect their own stuff...

More pictures here: Flitservice

Sources: Telegraaf, Telegraaf(2), Flitservice, Nu

The conquest of Europe

2005-03-08T20:00:00.000+01:00

The Middle East Forum has a very insightful article about how the Islamist are conquering Europe:

The Muslim Brotherhood's Conquest of Europe

H/T: Dutch Disease

The article focuses on Islamism in Germany but the same things are happening in the Netherlands. The same extremist organizations “The Muslim World League” and “Milli Gorus” that are mentioned in the article as having close ties to The Muslim Brotherhood are operating freely in the Netherlands.

The Muslim World League
The Muslim World League is very active in The Netherlands. It’s Dutch leader Mohammed Cheppih is often seen on National television speaking about Muslim affairs. At one time he was accusing Hirsi Ali to be an apostate and we all know what that means.

Cheppih is also involved in the Dutch Arab European League (AEL) a militant Islamic youth organization. He planned to lead the organization, but after much media attention he decided that a more low profile approach suited him better.

The father of Cheppih is imam at the Al Fourkaan mosque. A mosque with ties to extremist and terrorists. Recently the Dutch government expelled some of their imams. For more information see:

3 Imams to be expelled - Part 1
3 Imams to be expelled - Part 2

They did not close their school and mosque.

Milli Gorus
Just like in Germany the Milli Görüş organization is in The Netherlands a widely accepted partner in immigrant affairs. Their leader, Haci Karacaer who is also the director of the Aya Sofia mosque, has very close ties with the Dutch socialist (PvdA) party. He is often invited to speak and at one time he was nearly a parliamentary candidate for them. But also other mainstream political parties and organizations work together with Mili Gorus. In Amsterdam the liberals had nominated Milli Gorus members who sympathized with the Turkeys Gray Wolves. Milli Gorus is in general seen as a organization that contributes positively to the integration of Islamic immigrants. They are involved in many immigrant affairs and have full access to the subsidized circuit. They even build mosques together with semi government organizations.

After the murder on Theo van Gogh all Milli Gorus mosques had to give a skillful sermon to their believers. The message was divided in three parts: A message to the "brothers", a message to the "people" and a message to the believers. The bothers part opens with to say that their position was harmed. The people part says that you should not only see people as the enemy and that people who do not know Islam well do much damage to the religion. In the believers part there is a clear advice, a quote from the Koran:

"Not equal are the good and evil. Deflect evil with what is best, and you will see! He who is your enemy, it will seem if your where the closed friends".

The Media
It’s amazing how the media is handling these fundamentalists. How aggressive they are on anti immigrant politicians, racists, neo-nazies etc. and how sweet they are for the Islamic fundamentalists. The Islamic fundamentalists are invited in all kind of TV programs. Recently Dutch public TV channel VPRO showed even a documentary on Tariq Ramadan, son of the founder of Muslim World League.

Tariq his latest publication “Western Muslims and the Future of Islam” is translated in Dutch and will soon be for sale in the Dutch bookshops. At the time some bookshops refused to sell the books of Pim Fortuyn (RIP), but I bed they don't have any problem with this book…

Sources: Dutch Disease, VPRO, sermon at Milli Gorrus

The Dutch on The Netherlands

2005-03-07T21:00:00.000+01:00

The Dutch are in a somber mood about their country, you do not need poles to know that, but today TV program Netwerk did it any way and showed the results on television. Dutch people where asked to give their opinion about Dutch society and rank it with a number between 0 and 100. The results are as expected, alarmingly low.

When asked how much they where satisfied about the current state of Dutch society, they gave on average only 36 points out of 100.

But the all time low was for their trust of governments and politics. When asked, how much they where satisfied about politics? They Dutch gave 31 points out of 100. An other remarkable result of the pole was that a majority of the people thought that the politicians made thinks worse for Dutch society. Dutch government and politicians clearly have legitimacy problems.

A pretty bleak picture, not surprisingly Dutch emigrations have never been higher than since 1954.

Complete poll results:

1) How much are you satisfied with your personal living conditions? avg. 61.7
2) In how far you feel your self involved in what happens in the Netherlands? avg. 59.0
3) How much are you satisfied about the current state of Dutch society? avg. 36.2
4) How much confidence do you have that the Dutch society will improve the coming years? avg. 41.5

5) How much satisfied are you about:
Housing avg. 54.2
International cooperation avg.4 9.2
The media avg. 48.6
Education avg. 48.4
The democracy avg. 46.7
Religion avg. 46.5
The Environment avg. 45.2
Traffic and transportation avg. 44.4
The war on terror avg. 41.1
Safety and Security avg. 40.9
The economy avg. 39.2
Social security avg. 37.2
Health care avg. 37.0
Integration of immigrants avg. 35.2
Norms and values avg. 34.0
The government avg. 33.8
Politics avg. 31.0

6) What is the condition of Dutch society? (rainy=0 / very sunny=100) avg. 36.0
6a) How would you describe your current feelings about the Netherlands? (very pessimistic=0 / very optimistic=100) avg. 38.0

7) Do you think that the current governments policies make enhance or degrade Dutch society?
- The government’s policies enhance the state of the society: 10.3%
- The government’s policies have no influence on the state of the society: 27.3%
- The government’s policies make the current state of the society worse: 51.8%
- I don’t know / No opinion: 10.6%

8) Do you think it is a good idea to have a bonding day? [After the Islamic slaughter of Theo van Gogh the Dutch government proclaimed 5 may national bonding day. 5 may used to be the day that we celebrate the liberation of Nazi occupation, but now they want to emphasize that we are one people that includes the Moslims]
- Yes: 34.9%
- No: 40.7%
- I don’t know / No opinion: 24.4%

9) Do you think the may 5th (now liberation day) is a good date to celebrate bonding day?
- Yes May 5th is fine: 35.8%
- No, an other day would be better: 45.6%
- I don’t know / No opinion: 18.6%

Source: Netwerk

Dutch State News Lies

2005-03-07T19:00:00.000+01:00

The Dutch state news seems to be Dutch most solid PC crusaders. They have a tendency not to try to inform you but to propagate conformity based on their socialist and multicultural views.

It is a well-known fact that most people with a Moroccan and Turkish background prefer to import their partner from Morocco or Turkey. This has been for year the largest sources of Islamic immigration in The Netherlands.

But today the Dutch state television told us that new research by the Dutch State Statistical agency (CBS) showed that this was no longer true. The research shows that most Moroccan’s and Turks do not want to import their life partner, they say. That would be big news, because that is a major shift in behavior change of Islamic immigrants, news that many people in The Netherlands consider positive, because that would slow down the massive Islamic immigration. But is it true?

So let’s look up the CBS report. The CBS report says that most Moroccans and Turks find it very important to marry a partner with the same background, first and most the partner must be Islamic and second related to the same country of origin: Moroccan or Turkish. The interviewed Moroccans and Turks say they don’t think it is mandatory that their future partner is born in Turkey or Morocco. The report also mentions that last year, 50% of the Moroccans and Turks married a partner from their homeland instead of a Dutch-Moroccan or Dutch-Turk. The report only says, that because the interviewed people spoke out that it was not mandatory this number “could” change in the future.

This is just one example of how the Dutch state news is making propaganda.

Sources: NOS, CBS

Again reports of 'random' violence

2005-03-07T07:00:00.000+01:00

In recent months there are in the Dutch media reports of apparently 'random' attacks on people, trains, cars, it even has been reported that cars are being shot at, something not happened ever before. There have been arrests, but Dutch MSM refuses to report the background or give first names of the suspects, both could reveal that the attacks are from Muslim youth.

This Sunday night, three boys threw a stone from a viaduct on the A10 highway through Amsterdam. They threw the stone through the windshield of a fuel truck that carried a load of 40.000 liters gas. But amazingly the driver did not get hurt and could stop the truck safely.

According to the police the situation could have ended much in a nightmare, when the stone would have hit the driver and he was not able to control the truck anymore. “We have escaped from an emergency”, says their spokesperson.

The youth threw the stone from a viaduct near Bos en Lommerplein in Amsterdam West, an immigrant neighborhood with many houses and apartment buildings near the highway.

The MSM calls the boys Vandals, but who says they are?

See also:
Cars being shot at
Random violence?

Source: Nu

France and Spain bid to 'legalize' Hamas

2005-03-06T23:46:00.000+01:00

France and Spain are working towards removing Hamas from the European Union's list of terror organizations, the London based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat quoted Palestinian sources as saying Sunday.

Read full story here

H/T: Dutch Disease

Wilders wants to go on campaign

2005-03-05T16:00:00.000+01:00

Geert Wilders the parliamentary representative under threat and busy starting his own political party wants to go on campaign against the European constitution. He wants to tour the country with a campaign bus in the last two weeks before the referendum on June the 1st.

“I want to start from my home city, Venlo and from their go to markets and other public places to convince people that the European constitution is no good for us”, says Wilders (See also: Speech Wilders).

He is still in deliberations with the “Royal and Diplomatic Security” (DKDB) to get his security arranged during the campaign. Wilders: “I assume this is possible, because this is my work. If the administration thinks parliamentary members have to be able to do their job, then they have to make this work”.

Meanwhile he still stays at prison camp Zeist. “They did not offer me normal housing yet, but I expect that the Justice Ministry will follow-up on their promises” says Wilders.

See also:
Wilders in Prison
First Speech Geert Wilders

Source: Telegraaf

Defense minister criticizes US

2005-03-05T14:00:00.000+01:00

In Dutch news paper AD defense minister Henk Kamp looks back on the Iraq mission. Now the government has ended their Iraq peacekeeping mission, he criticizes the legitimacy of the US led invasion of Iraq.

“I am not ready yet to make a final ordeal”, says Kamp about the attack. But “you could ask your self the question if there was enough evidence of weapons of mass destruction. Was it possible to make conclusions based on the information? And did the American send enough troops to get enough immediate grip on the situation? Everybody has those questions. An answer I don’t have yet. History will let us know.”

One would have expected that a defense minister would have a bit deeper understanding of the geopolitical situation of the Middle East. What about the big picture of the Middle east? What about the people living in Iraq? But hey, he maybe a hardliner in the Dutch political context, he stays a liberal. And before people tell you other wise, the Dutch liberal also hoped that Kerry would win the US presidential elections.

See also:
Dutch Special Forces to Afghanistan

Source: Telegraaf, AD

Organ donors get transplant priority

2005-03-05T11:00:00.000+01:00

Liberal Minister Hoogervorst wants to give people who say they are willing to donate their organs priority in receiving donor organs.

Read full story: here

But now the official Moslim contact group (CMO) of the government is angry. Secretary N. Joemman: “He suggests that Moslems are free riders. It is most unfortunate how he formulated it”.

Source: Telegraaf

Terorists seeking to recruit women

2005-03-05T10:00:00.000+01:00

Islamic extremists are looking to recruit women and are trying to do so mainly through the Internet, according to an Italian intelligence report.

Read full story: Pakistan Daily Times

See also: Woman will kill Hirsi ali

H/T: Dutch Disease

Hirsi Ali on threats

2005-03-05T01:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch News paper Telegraaf reports on Hirsi Ali:

(...)
On the hallway sits her bodyguard. “If I am scared of dying? After the murder of Theo [van Gogh] I am much more aware of the threats. Before 2 November [the murder date of Theo] I was also threatened but by who and how severe the threats were always staid vague. But now I exactly know who threatens me en how it looks like if they execute their threats. It has become very concrete. But I am not a depressed type of person. Look outside, the snow on the towers and the beautiful birds. I still can enjoy that.”
(...)

See also:
Woman Will Kill Hirsi Ali

Source: Intel.web-log

Christians and Muslims unite

2005-03-04T22:00:00.000+01:00

Article in local Dutch newspaper:

On Sunday March 13, imam Zühdü Elveren en pastor Peter de Jong will lead a religious service together in the Fidelishof in IJmuiden. "We form a community despite our differences. We belong together on yonder side of those differences", says pastor De Jong of the unique get-toegther.

The Roman Catholic community of IJmuiden had contacted local Muslims before. "After the murder of Theo van Gogh. a hundred people from our church walked over to the mosque. We wanted to give some indication that there shouldn't be any room for a them-against-us mentality.

There's a lot of anti-Muslim thinking now, but don't forget that Christians also have a lot to answer for -- crusades, for example, and the inquisition", says De Jong. "So we should recognize that we are culpable, too. Let's just say that the spirit of Wilders [the Dutch PM who is critical of extreme Islam] is anathema to us."

The regular worshippers at the Kuba mosque in IJmuiden appreciated the visit from the Catholic group, and they recipcrocated with a group excursion to the St. Pieter Church on Zuiderkruisstraat. "Men and women. We explained which function some of our religious artifacts have during a church service", De Jong continues. "That's how we look for rapprochement with the muslim community, because society is hardening against them. Guided by the Bible, we seek to counter these things. It's a kind of antidote against anti-semitism and anti-Q'uran."

The church service will be somewhat adapted to the guests. "We're deliberately not performing the holy communion, because we don't want to make things unnecessarily difficult. The imam and I will open the service together. I will read something from the Bible, and the imam will read a translation from the Q'uran. We'll all sing together, too. During the service, it'll be possible to ask the imam some questions; and after the service, there'll be a church social," De Jong explains.

"This is an important thing to do," the pastor adds. "We have to go down new paths. Let's not focus on our religious differences, but on what we have in common. We're working on our interpersonal growth. This imam condemns terrorism; by expressing that, you can take away the prejudice."

American Dutch blogger nobodysbusiness was so kind to translate this story for you. Check out his blog at: nobodysbusiness.typepad.com

H/T: Dutch Disease

Source: Haarlems Dagblad

Chairman not welcome in Mosque

2005-03-04T19:00:00.000+01:00

The chairman of the Dutch Muslim council, Derwisj Maddoe, is no longer welcome in the Noeroel Islam Mosque in Denhaag. Maddoe was one of the founders of the mosque.

The reason that the board of the mosque decided he is no longer welcome is things he said during the “Nederland is niet kapot te krijgen“ (Translation: The Netherlands is unbreakable) media campaign. A campaign launched after the murder on Theo van Gogh with government money that preached tolerance. In the campaign he has said that he also visited synagogues and churches. On a billboard, that was showed at 6000 bus stops, Maddoe was quoted saying: “I also want to preach in other peoples parish… and also listen”. But now Maddoe complains:

”Some people in the mosque think that is not allowed and thus I am not allowed to come any more”

But the board of the mosque denies that he is no longer welcome. Today (Friday) the mosque will hold a general meeting with all its members about the affair.

H/T: Dutch Disease

Sources: Haagsche Courant, Nederland niet kapot te krijgen, Campaign poster

Spanish prize for Hirsi Ali

2005-03-03T19:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch parliamentary member Ayaan Hirsi Ali who is under threat receives again a prize. Last week she was given the Harriët Freezerring emancipation prize and next week she will receive the “Tolerance” prize from the province of Madrid, Spain. She will receive the prize next Monday, only 3 days before the commemoration of the Madrid train bombings by Islamic terrorists, then a year a go. During the Islamic terrorist bombing of the four trains in Madrid a week before the 2004 the Spanish parliamentary election, 190 people died.

In the past the Madrilian “Tolerance” prize was awarded to Spanish research judge Baltasar Garzón and the French football player Zinedine Zidane.

Can any body tell me, what kind of political color the current Madrilian government has? I would assume it is not Zapatero Socialist party or is it?

See also:
Hirsi Ali Receives Emancipation Prize

H/T: Dutch Disease

Source: AD

Dutch Liberals scared of Queen

2005-03-02T21:00:00.000+01:00

Officially the Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. Many years of state and media propaganda have lead many Dutch people to believe that the Queen has no political power. But the last decades Queen Beatrix has steadily worked to enlarge her political powers. In a recent speech at the university of Leiden she praised the politicians that she that the last decades they have given her much more freedom.

There have been many incidents. Not a long a go it became public that the royal family gave direct orders to the intelligence service, without the responsible minister even knowing about it. Not generally know but a long time practice is that the Queen even has her own shadow cabinet and every Monday prime Minister Balkenende goes to her “working” palace to speak through the current affairs of the country. She also can order any minister to her palace to let him or her explain his or her actions. There is much more to tell, but I think this shows that she is certainly not only ceremonially figure. Queen Beatrix and her son Willem Alexander the heir to the thrown, have already said several times that they are not interested in a pure ceremonial role.

After the murder on Theo van Gogh the royal family wrote in a letter to the family of Theo van Gogh that they did not had time to attend the funeral. But a day after the funeral they could be seen at all kind of multi culture events. That same week, the queen was even giving rewards to ‘liberal’ Muslims. Who in the press blamed Dutch sociaty for the circumstances that lead to the murder of Theo van Gogh. The royals seem to be one of the staunchest supporters of the multicultural society (See also: Royal Support for Muslims)

The queen does not change her political agenda, but the Dutch politicians do not feel comfortable with the low legitimacy the have. Trust in the government has never been so low. Many political parties are rewriting their manifesto’s. Also the Dutch liberal party (VVD) recently wrote a new liberal manifest. But now newspaper AD reports that the writers of the new liberal manifest wanted to propose the removal of the political power of the Queen. But they did not include it in the manifesto, because they where afraid it would get to much media attention.

“They did not dare to touch the monarchy. About god, the Queen and the tax deduction for house owners you don’t talk as politician” says a prominent liberal (VVD) parliamentary. The liberal (VVD) has always supported the monarchy for practical reasons, does it sound within the liberal leadership.

In parliament there has always been a large majority of political parties who say they are against the monarchy, but in practice they support it for political reasons. Traditionally the more leftwing parties always said they were against the monarchy. Take for example the social-liberal D66, they always made a big point about constitutional reforms and their former leader, Thom de Graaf, proposed 6 years ago to make the queens role purely ceremonial. But now they are in the government they stay silent. Although, Thom de Graaf, is now special minister for constitutional reform in the current administration. The tiny D66 has only a few minister posts in the administration, but made Brinkhorst whose daughter married a Royal prince (3th in-line), minister again. Not surprisingly Brinkhorst said after the murder on Theo van Gogh that Hirsi Ali her movie Submission was a provocation.

At the time of the 2002 election the poles indicated that Pim Fortuyn was, with more than 25% of the votes, to become the biggest political party and that would most likely make him the next prime minister of The Netherlands. Fortuyn had already promised that he as Prime Minister would give Queen Beatrix a pure ceremonial role. But that is all history now, he was assassinated a week before the elections.

See also:
Royal support for muslims
Minister submission is provocation

Source: AD

Dutch State Propaganda

2005-03-01T22:00:00.000+01:00

The Netherlands becomes more and more just like the DDR. The government funds for state propaganda have never been higher than under the Balkenende administration. Everywhere in the country are billboards with messages of the government. The government has the biggest TV and radio advertisement budget of every one; you cannot put your radio or TV on, without receiving ‘the message’. The government as the distributor of correct opinions. They tell you what to think about: the environment, immigration, how often you use your car, that you shouldn’t heat your house to much, that you don’t defend others in case of crimes, that the European Union is good, that you should vote, that taxes are good and even what you should eat. I begin to understand what’s it like living in the DDR.

Take this latest campaign called “Doemee” (Join us), it’s a campaign by the ministry of “employment and social affairs” and the justice ministry. This flashy government website “Doemee” is target on woman and girls out of minority groups to support the emancipation. Well that is what they say and how they got it financed it any way. Minister Verdonk wants to get 20.000 women to be more involved in society. But it is amazing how the promotional material looks like. They show us headscarf’s woman with windmills prints on it as a show of integration. By that suggest that the headscarf is Dutch and does not stand in way of their integration. By that they deny the social reality, that many woman who wear headscarf’s stay unemployed by this obvious sign of their lack of integration. Not even to talk about the fact that the headscarf is the opposite of woman emancipation!

How deluded they are, that they betray the freedom of woman to promote their multicultural agenda.

H/T: Dutch Disease

Source: Doe Mee, Ministry of SZW, Press release

Hirsi Ali in court

2005-03-01T21:00:00.001+01:00

Today there was a court case against parliamentary representative Ayaan Hirsi Ali. An Islamic foundation tries to get court orders to stop Ayaan Hirsi Ali from making “Submission Part 2”. Last year Hirsi Ali has said in an interview she is planning the sequel of “Submission Part 1”. Part 1 she made together with Theo van Gogh (RIP) and was about the maltreatment of Islamic woman. Part 2, she says, will be about how Islam suppresses the individuality.

But besides trying to stop her from making the sequel on Submission, the Islamic foundation is also asking the court to prohibit Ayaan Hirsi Ali from make any offending, insulting or blasphemous remarks about the Islam.

Their lawyer, Robert Moszkowicz says: “I don’t like discrimination”. He accuses Hirsi Ali of incitement, because he says she called prophet Mohammed a pedophile. But also her remark that Islamism is “very dangerous”, is unacceptable. Remarks like that together with the movie submission lead to excesses like the murder on Theo van Gogh.

Hirsi Ali her self says she thinks it is good that Muslim go to court to show their dissatisfaction. Her lawyer Germ Kemper said Monday, that she fears to win the court case. The willingness of Muslims to go to court will become less, if they get the impression it does not help. That possible paves the way to violence, said Kemper.

View Submission: here

Read here the reaction of other Dutch blogger zachtei. But more bloggers cover the story, for example Booker Rising (News site for black moderates and black conservatives).

Sources: Telegraaf, Nieuws

The Hofstad terror group

2005-03-01T21:00:00.000+01:00

Today newspaper AD reported that the spiritual leader of the Hofstad terror group, Redouan al Issar (AKA Redouan al Issa, AKA Abu Khaled) is in Syria. Suspected terrorist Samir Azzouz received a letter, while he was in jail, from an other suspected Hofstad terrorist. In the letter Samir gets greetings from Abu Khaled, the nickname of they Syrian. “He called from Syria to greet you” is written in the letter to Samir.

The police does not want to say if they know where Redouan al Issar is. But if he is in Syria, the justice department does not think the Syrian will hand him over to The Netherlands because we have no extradition treaty with them.

But there is more news. Amsterdam alderman Aboutaleb says he wants to talk with the members of the Hofstad terror group. It is said that the terror group also planned to assassinate the Moroccan Aboutaleb who is a practicing Muslim. But the alderman does not want to speak with Mohammed Bouyeri because he is suspected of the murder on Theo van Gogh.

All members of the Hofstad terror group are all Moroccans, just like the Amsterdam Alderman. Aboutaleb is a frequent visitor of Morocco where he regularly meets with government officials.

Source: NU, intel.nl

Wilders needs money

2005-03-01T20:00:00.000+01:00

After leaving the liberal (VVD) party, because he did not stand behind the liberal support for the Turkeys membership to the EU, he is now working to start his own political party. But that is a tough uphill battle.

Like all political parties he needs financial backing, but unlike other political parties, he does not get government subsidies. But he has started efforts to get the money from supporters. Earlier he asked people via his website www.geertwilders.nl to support him and send money. He says he got a big response and after his first speech for business people he also received 80.000 EUR. His latest move to enhance the financial capabilities of his political party is to give dinners. To join it will cost you 2000 Euros.

See also:
Wilders in Prison
First Speech Geert Wilders
Al-Jazeera: Wilders is Extremist
USA loves Wilders
Interview Wilders
Evidence of political intimidation
Donner: Wilders is safe if he stops

Source: RTL Nieuws

Blogging Europe

2005-02-28T19:00:00.000+01:00

Europe has lost its way that is clear. But that is not to say that the continent is totally lost, well at least not yet. That there is hope shows that there are coming more and more critical European blogs. Let's make a quick tour around some blogs I know.

As I am Dutch I start with the always critical Dutch language blog Dutch Disease they pointed me to what they called an excellent article in the Chicago Sunday Times: “U.S. can sit back and watch Europe implode”. The article, I am afraid, describes quite well, some of the current problems in Europe. Or as Dutch Disease says: "The 21st century is being built elsewhere". They also linked to some other articles "Putting the fear of God into Holland" of Sunday Times that gives a good oversight of the Dutch immediate problems (although the article is quite left wing). They link also to the NYT - "More Dutch Plan to Emigrate as Muslim Influx Tips Scales" that shows also to be an disturbing view on the Dutch situation.

Next to The Netherlands is Belgium in which they speak for 50% Dutch and for that other half they speak French (oops I am forgetting the German speaking minority!). Maybe the French speaking part have a compulsion to compensate for their weak position and make the country even more French then France it self, because politically the Belgiums are I think the biggest idiots of whole Europe. But even in this country that host the capital of the European apparatchiks there is hope. Belgium blogger DownEast has a story on a pro Bush Belgium Professor named Cogen, who citizens the EU policies:

"Dialogue alone will not work. Europe is talking with the Arab world for 30 years now, with a lot of diplomats, experts and committees. The result? Very few reforms, and no solutions. I find it amazing how Europe keeps believing in something that yields no results. And they have the same attitude towards Africa, where the problems are even greater. Europe believes that by throwing money and experts at the problems, they will disappear. The hard conclusion should be that with some regimes, talking is useless. Even economic sanctions do not help, as they reinforce the local dictatorship, and make only the people suffer, and not the elites."

Both Down East and Belgium blogger LVB quote also an other Belgium Professor of the same University of Genth saying:

"Continental Europe is evolving towards a socialist economy where the state absorbs and redistributes the largest part of the national product. The private sector is tolerated as a cow to be milked to the limits of the sustainable. Entrepreneurs are diabolized by the socialist-bureaucratic elites as scrooges, polluters, tax evaders etc."

Well, that kind of voices give the freedom loving people in Europe hope. But also from an other neighbor of The Netherlands comes good news. They have the always-critical Medienkritik, they report on an interview with Richard Perl in the well-known German magazine "Die Weld". They have translated the interview in which Perl says that history will proof Berlin and Paris wrong. Perl points out that Europe was wrong about the cold war and now wrong about the war on terror. He predicts that with Iran, the EU will play the same game as with Iraq...

Even from the hearth land of the idea of the European counter weight there are comming critical sounds. French blog No-Pasaran comments on an article of Victor David Hanson about the Bush visit to Europe, published in the Wall Street Journal. No-Pasaran:

"We are hardly any further along before the 'summit' - no worse for the wear, and only slightly less confused about intentions. The opportunity to show either some moral bravery, or a clear explanation of their past position or future intentions were completely missed".

In the North of Europe, where traditionally the communist influence has been the strongest I have discovered a great blog about the affairs in Norway and Sweden. Here Fjordman is reporting about similar events in Norway and Sweden as the DutchReport does for The Netherlands. Fjordman has a great story about how politicians who are critical about Islam are under threath, just like in the Netherlands and other European countries. In an other story of Fjordman, it is reported how Swedish court recognized Sharia law. Scary...

Although these bloggers heavily criticize the current politics in the European countries, the upside is that the growing awareness can be a sign that thing can change in the future. The reports may show a weakened civilization, but criticism is the only way to make the Europeans and their societies stronger again. Let’s just hope the criticism gets loud enough to make a difference.

We have a long way to go...

Dutch Special Forces to Afghanistan

2005-02-26T20:00:00.000+01:00

The Dutch government is going to send 165 Special Forces (mainly commando troops and some marines) to Afghanistan, together with four Chinook transport helicopters and 85 military. They are joining operation “Enduring Freedom” and going to support the Americans in their offensive against the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The troops will operate under American command and their prime task will be collecting intelligence and recon activities. It is the first time that the Netherlands is sending ground troops to do offensive operations in the war on terror.

The Dutch government had announced earlier, it is was investigating the possibility to send four F16 fighter planes to Kabul together with 100 man personnel and a battalion of Marines on stand by for the Afghan parliamentary elections that are most likely will be held this summer. These additional troops would be part of the Nato led ISAF force in which the Dutch already take part with their 'Provincial Reconstruction Team', now consisting of six Apache helicopters with 100 troops and 139 milary personell. The final decision to send these additional troops is made public together with the announcement to take part in operation ‘Enduring Freedom’.

These announcements of the Dutch government follow on the decision to redraw the Dutch ‘peace keeping’ troops from Iraq. Australia is now going to replace these troops that also protect Japanese reconstruction soldiers. Although extra instructors where send to Bagdad most Dutch troops will leave Iraq.

The operations in Iraq, although they where in one of the least violent area’s in Iraq, was not without problems. The Dutch government always made a point of it that they where a ‘peace keeping’ force that had a mandate much like the Dutch police. They gave the impression that they where working for the local Iraqi governor. When a Dutch marine, an officer, allegedly shot an Iraqi looter when his group came under threath. The Dutch military police directly arrested and detained the officer and deported him to The Netherlands. The investigation of the affair was done together with Iraqi officials and the Dutch prosecutor office even wanted to keep the soldier in custody, but had to realease him after the holiday season. In court, the judge ruled that the officer was innocent, but to the amazement of many, the Justice department went in appeal. The head Justice, Jonkheer mr. J. de Wijkerslooth (Socialist party member who is close to the Queen) has now suddenly resigned last week.

But there where more problems. The Dutch relied heavily on the local Iraqi governor, it seems that they saw them selves working for him (police has to work for the legitimate local power you see). But when Dutch soldiers where ambushed and one soldier died, the investigation to that, revealed involvement of the Iraqi governors office. Details where never released, but it seems that after that news the defense minister Kamp did not want to extend the Iraqi mission any longer. Minister Kamp is not known for his pacifist views, last year he tried to convince parliament to buy cruise missiles for the Dutch marine. Not really a defensive weapon that can be used for ‘peace keeping’ missions. Although not pacifistic, he did not do much to stop the outrageous arrest of the Dutch soldier, which undermined the Dutch military operations in Iraq. Overall he seems quite week in protecting his forces against the political opponents of the war.

So my guess is that the military wanted out of Iraq because they can’t trust the Dutch backstabbing Dutch politicians. They rather fight a real war, where the people of Dutch Justices minister Donner cannot hunt them down.

But this Dutch miss management of course gives a lot of problems for the other members in the war on terror. The Dutch have to make good for that. And that seems a good reason for these sudden steps of the Dutch government. It is noteworthy that the government says it does not need parliamentary approval for the offensive operations they now planned to join in Afganistan, they say approvale of parliament is only needed for ‘peace keeping operations’. And indeed the Iraqi mission was extensivly debated at the time. What about the reactions in parliament? They don’t make to much of a problem about that it seems...

Let’s hope the Dutch politicians don’t betray our troops again, like they did in Iraq. Let’s wish the best for the men and woman who risk their lives in this war.

Other bloggers:
Tiger Hawk - The Dutch go on the offensive

Wilders in Prison (4)

2005-02-26T16:00:00.000+01:00

The story about the parliamentary representative Geert Wilders who is kept in prison for his own protection continues…

Today parliamentary chairman Weisglass heavily criticized responsible Justice minister Donner. He thinks that the letter he has sent to parliament is unacceptable. The letter was an answer to parliamentairy questions that came after Hirsi Ali gave an interview in which she explained that Wilders was kept in a prison cell. Chairman Weisglass now says he thinks the accusations in the letter are totally out of order and calls his reaction “small-minded”.

“For example, I am convinced that Wilders sleeps in a prison cell” Weisglass told in a interview. But in the letter Donner tried to make the prison cell sound like normal housing. Weisglass now: “To make all kind of accusations to these parliamentary members is I think very small-minded”.

Donner is not happy and questions if the parliamentary chair should act this way.

The big question is, will parliament act? How much more infractions to their sovereignty will they accept? Or better: what is the function of parliament any way?

See Also:
Wilders in Prison (1)
Wilders in Prison (2)
Wilders in Prison (3)
Hirsi Ali released

Evidence of political intimidation
Donner: Wilders is safe if he stops
Wilders: Minister Donner lies
Democracy is DEAD
Where is (R) Hirsi Ali?
Warning for Wilders supporters
First Speech Geert Wilders

Bloggers comment on the affair:
Delfstman - "I was sickened by the thought ..."
National Review: The corner - "Grim news from Holland ..."
Blogs for Bush - "wages of cowardice ..."
Prairie Fire - "cowardly appeasement mentality ..."
VFR - "Freedom for Moslems means slavery for us"
MyBlog.de - "Eine unglaubliche Schande in Holland ..."
Livejournal Ruggels - "THis is just sad"
Gene Expression - Parliamentarians in prison = security?
Belmont Club - The World Turned Upside Down
Isaac Schrodinger - I'm not impressed with the Dutch gov.

Source: Telegraaf, Nu

Hirsi Ali Receives Emancipation Prize

2005-02-25T22:00:00.000+01:00

Ayaan Hirsi Ali has received Thursday the “Harriët Freezerring” emanicipation prize 2004. She had won the prize last year, but then the police said they couldn’t protect her, but now they apparently could.

The prize is an award given by the Dutch feminist magazine “Opzij” and editor-in-chief Cisca Dresselhuys handed her the prize. Readers of the magazine had chosen the winner: Ayaan Hirsi Ali. She received the prize for her struggle for the emancipation of the Islamic woman.

Chief editor Dresselhuys called Hirsi Ali “the embodiment of the struggle for Muslim woman emancipation” and praised her style: “open and confronting, not scared”. “But Hirsi Ali receives a lot of criticism, also from her direct colleagues of her own liberal party (VVD). They say: should a politician write books, make a movie and to upset so many people? That it causes her to go into hiding and now has to live heavily guarded? How effective is such behavior her opponents ask. And most of all, is it the purpose of a politician to operate like this? In short: Shouldn’t Hirsi Ali stop with politics [and leave parliament]?”. Prominent liberals (VVD) have said she should leave and predicted she will not return after the elections.

But Dresselhuys says she is effective. To the criticasters she explains that there has now come video surveillance camera’s at woman refugee houses. That a woman wrote her and the same woman wrote that “she thanked Ayaan [Hirsi Ali] for that form of protection”. In the past their have been Muslim woman assaulted an murdered who stayed at these locations. Dresselhuys also criticizes Donner for not taking Hirsi Alis serious when she asked attention for the woman, at least 150, who are under threat of honor killings. She emphasizes that it was Hirsi Ali who revealed that minister Donner ignored the request from parliament to start registration of honor killings. She forced him to take action.

Dresselhuys tells about the horror stories she hears from the Islamic, mostly Moroccan, woman. That they are on the run for their brothers, the dead threats they receive for having a Dutch boyfriend or for simply living independent. She says she meets a lot of these Moroccan woman and they are all fans of Hirsi Ali.

Sometimes she says, Hirsi Ali her involvement with woman emancipation is “very personnel” and reveals that the threatened parliamentary representative, against the wishes of her security, on her own address in Denhaag, where she was her self into hiding, took care of a run away Muslima. Hirsi Ali had said: “If I don’t take care for her, now she is threatened by her brothers, what kind of meaning then have all those words?”.

Then to the surprise of Hirsi Ali the girl, who she had been protecting, entered the podium to thank her. The girl asked, for the sake of her security, that the press would refrain from filming or photographing her. “Every body always asks, where are those woman Hirsi Ali is talking about? Well, here I am”.

In the last book Hirsi Ali wrote and that was published last summer, she devoted a long chapter too describe a ‘run-away guide’ for Dutch Muslim girls who are threatened by their family. It is a chilling manual to read.

After receiving the prize Hirsi Ali asked in her speech that the government should do more to protect Muslim girls and woman against family violence. How radical…

See also:
Listen here to an interview the BBC World Service had with her on December 23, 2003

Sources: NRC, Opzij

Robbery in Secure Zone

2005-02-25T19:00:00.000+01:00

Due to the risen terror threat level, code: yellow, the airport of Schiphol is an extra secure area. But today, on the airports platform, where the airplanes taxi to the gates a robbery took place. A secure transport car of KLM cargo full of diamonds and other valuables was on its way to a plane that had destination Antwerp. The robbers took the secure car and left Schiphol without any problems. The car was later found back in Hoofddorp. The police say they have many witnesses.

You have to see it this way: they will stop terrorist with a bomb car, but not robbers!

UPDATE:
It is reported that they stole for 75 million Euros, the biggest heist in Dutch history.

See also other Dutch Blogger: Sered's Pov's - Schiphol Security Failure

Source: Planet

Hirsi Ali released

2005-02-25T10:00:00.000+01:00

It is announced today that parliamentary representative Hirsi Ali is soon getting normal housing and does not have to stay in army barracks much longer. According to Donner it is housing “where she can stay as long as the threat continue”. Hirsi Ali has reacted very happy on the news and said she wanted to send Donner flowers. Although she did not wanted to live on a ‘secret’ location, she now says she had to promise to keep the location secret.

Parliamentairy representative Wilders stays in prison camp Zeist.

See also:
Wilders in Prison
Wilders in Prison (2)
Wilders in Prison (3)

Source: Telegraaf

Terror Trial Samir Azzouz

2005-02-25T09:00:00.000+01:00

An 18-year-old man who is accused of plotting terror attacks in the Netherlands declined to answer any questions when his trial started in Rotterdam Court on Thursday (Photo: His wife leaving the court room).

The public prosecutor suspects Samir Azzouz of plotting attacks on key installations including Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, the Parliament and Defence Ministry in The Hague, the headquarters of the security service AIVD in Leidschendam and the Borssele nuclear power plant.

He was arrested in Rotterdam in June last year following an armed robbery at a supermarket. Shortly after his arrest the Dutch government instituted a terror alert in certain parts of the country. The alert status has yet to be rescinded.

Police found building floor plans to Schiphol, Borssele and the other targets in Azzouz home in Rotterdam.

A silencer for a gun, two ammunition clips, night-vision goggles and a bullet-proof vest were also discovered as were ammonia and hydrochloric acid, chemicals that are sometimes used to make bombs.

The suspect faces charges of plotting attacks, illegal possession of weapons and robbery at the supermarket. If convicted of the main charges, this would be the first time anyone has been found guilty of plotting terror attacks in the Netherlands.

Another charge of membership of a terrorist organisation is pending as the police investigation into the Hofstadgroep continues.

A dozen young Muslim men were arrested as part of this investigation following the murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh last November. His suspected killer, Mohammed Bouyeri, 26, was allegedly on the periphery of this group and is also being detained.

News service NOS reported that Azzouz 's trial heard on Thursday that police secretly recorded telephone calls the suspect made while in custody.

During a telephone call with another terror suspect Jason Walters, Azzouz allegedly spoke about the police discovering the building plans. "I almost had a heart attack," he is supposed to have said.

Walters and another man were arrested following a 14-hour standoff with police in The Hague about a week after Van Gogh's murder. The incident started when hand grenades were thrown at police officers who were trying to get into a house to arrest the two men.

In a second telephone call, this time to his wife, Azzouz allegedly described television picture scenes of the school siege in the Russian town of Beslan in North Ossetia last year as a "great party".

He first came to the attention of the police in January 2003 when he and another schoolboy left Amsterdam to walk to Chechnya. They had apparently wanted to join Muslim insurgents who were fighting the invasion by Russian forces.

Hampered by very cold conditions, the boys were discovered on the Russian border and returned to the Netherlands before they got to the war-torn republic. In a newspaper interview in 2003, Azzouz said he was disappointed that his mission failed. He said he was not afraid to die: “I was prepared for everything also retaliation”.

But his lawyer Victor Koppe says there is no evidence that Samir Azzouz was preparing for attacks in the Netherlands. “Radical thinking is not a punishable offence in The Netherlands. Is also does not say anything about preparation operations”.

Azzouz and four other men were arrested in October 2003 and charged with plotting terrorist attacks. They were later released due to lack of evidence. So far, there has never been any body convicted for terrorist crimes.

The current trial continues on Friday.

Sources: Telegraaf, Expatica, AD

Imam arrested

2005-02-24T20:00:00.000+01:00

The Dutch government is trying to improve her image: yesterday "bad cop" Verdonk announced she is going to expell three Imams and today the police arrested a Turkish imam of the Iskender Pasa Camii mosque in the city of Rotterdam. The imam is held on immigration charges and the intelligence service AIVD says the imam is possible a danger for the national security and that makes him persona non-grate. The imam focused on young people. “He preached an orthodox, anti Western and anti democratic strain of Islam”, says minister verdonk. She did not want to answer questions if he was operating alone or in a network.

After the murder of Theo van Gogh an artist who lived near the mosque painted outside on his own wall a big dove with the text: “Thou shalt not kill”. But the management of the Iskender Pasa Camii mosque complained to the police and said it was incitement. The police removed the painting and arrested a man who wanted to prevent the removal of the “Thou shalt not kill painting. The police whiped a part of the recordings the journalist made. See movie: here

See also:
3 Imams to be expelled (Part 1)
3 Imams to be expelled (Part 2)

Sources: Telegraaf

Maroccan youth in Amersfoort

2005-02-24T19:00:00.000+01:00

Earlier the DutchReport reported you on a city in the Netherlands where around 80% of the Moroccan boys was involved in criminal activities. But the DutchReporter is not the only one with a calculator. TV program ‘Netwerk’ reported today that civil servants of the city of Amersfoord did the same. They found out that 40% of all Moroccan youth age 14-17 have a police record in which they are suspected of one or more crimes (police solves in general only 10-15% of the criminal cases). If one takes in account that the girls are as good as never involved in criminal activities, then it is justified to say that 80% of the Moroccan boys age 14-17 have a police record...

What they are going to do about it? A lot, they just don’t say what it is they are going to do. My best guess is, that they are going to invest even more in youth workers and Mosques.

Source: Netwerk TV

3 Imams to be expelled (2)

2005-02-23T20:00:00.000+01:00

Yesterday it was reported that three Imams of the Al Fourkaan mosque are going to be expelled (See: 3 Imams to be expelled – part 1). Minster Verdonk told on state TV news: “I suspect these imams of radicalizing other Moslems and of preaching the Jihad”. And continues with: “They are calling for a holy war, a war makes victims and that can’t be tolerated in The Netherlands”. This is also a triumph for representative Wilders, he is asking already for years for these kinds of measures. So far there seems little opposition in parliament to the measures Verdonk has taken.

The names of the Imams are: Sheich’ Abu Tariq and Mahmoud al-Chebli who both had the daily leadership of the mosque. The name of the third Imam is not reported but he was the substitute imam. The Imams have the Bosnian, Kenyan and Egyptian nationality.

Minister Verdonk has revoked by two of the imams their residence permit and did not extend the residence permit of the third one (same result). A residence permit for foreign imams has to be extended each year. They have now three weeks to leave the country or to appeal their case; if they do that they can stay until the trial. The management of the mosque has already said they are going to appeal their case and start court cases.

The inteligence service (AIVD)
The Al Fourkaan mosque has a history of extremism and has often reached the Dutch news in extremist cases. Last year August the intelligence service wrote a report that included six radical mosques, including the Al Fourkaan. The spokes person of the Intelligence service AIVD now says that all Mosques in the report are now under surveillance. All involved mosques preach the Salafist strain of Islam and received funding from Saudi Arabia:

El Tawheed Mosque in Amsterdam
Sjeikh Al Islam Ibn Taymia in Den Haag (link)
Al Fourkaan mosque in Eindhoven
Al Mouahidine mosque in Helmond
Society of Islamic youth (Stichting voor Islamitische Jongeren) in Breda (see: Al Waqf Al Islami)
Islamic Society for Education and Knowledge Transfer (Islamitische Stichting voor Opvoeding en Overdracht) in Tilburg (See imam Ahmad Salam)

According to the intelligence service the three imams of the Al Fourkaan mosque advocate a type of Islam that is very anti Western. They “contribute to the radicalization of Muslims in the Netherlands”. They have also tolerated the recruitment for the Jihad. By preaching against the West, they have “deliberately” contributed to the radicalization of Muslims and are “jointly” responsible for creating a “breeding ground for Jihad”.

Muslims are angry
But today the Muslims are angry. The spokes person of the Mosque: “If an imam preaches incitement, I am against that. Maybe that has happened sometimes in this mosque, but I don’t know about it because I was not present. But who is minister Verdonk that she can say something about it?”

“Verdonk” explains a young Moroccan “is not fair, she is not a democrat. She suddenly requests from us foreigners that we have a monthly income of 1400 Euro, in case we want to marry a girl from our homeland. And such a girl must be older than 21 years old. Verdonk discriminates and offends us. She can piss off.”

Fini an African says he becomes “aggressive” of this “evil plan” of the minister. “I come often in this mosque and the imams absolutely do not go to far. Verdonk acts a-social and stupid because she divides the people”. “Exactly” says a bystander.

“The allegation are not correct, we are not a terrorist network, but a religious institute”, says spokes person A. Nejjar. “If you make these allegations, you first have to do a thoroughly investigation and that did not happen. Also did minister Verdonk use out dated information, because one of the imams is only a substitute imam”. And he continues: “there is now a tense atmosphere in the mosque. We were working on improving our image by organizing open houses and invite school youth. That is now all thwarted by Verdonk”

Abdellah Wensing [Dutch name] who is already a Muslim convert for 11 years says he has never noticed imams or visitors preach violence. He says: “Islam is not a violent religion”. He says the imams tried to temper the emotions in the mosque when Hirsi Ali began her “hate campaign”. He is not very impressed: “There will be three new imams, the faith will not change. You can expel the Islam from The Netherlands”.

An ex-imam of the mosque says the management of the mosque is totally surprised by the move of minister. He says around 800 people visit the sermons of the imams. According to him the mosque has several times invited Minster Verdonk [immigration] and minister Remkes [domestic affairs], but they both never responded on the invitation.

The Burgomaster
The management of the Mosque says it has been reaching out to the non-Islamic community. Burgomaster A. Sakkers says he knows about it: “In December the management has promised to me that there would come more transparency”. He says he is “surprised” by the move of minister Verdonk. “I had the impression that things had improved in the mosque, I notices during my visits [to the mosque] that there was no danger”. Last week there was a conference about Islamic faith [in the mosque]. The police reported [to me] positively about the event, according to the burgomaster. But he adds: “In case the intelligence reports of the AIVD are correct, then the minister takes the correct action, also for all the Muslims in the city of Eindhoven”. The burgomaster has intensified the police protection of the mosque.

Dutch Muslim council
Chairman D. Maddoe of the Dutch Muslim council says: “Imams who disrupt the democracy or civil order, may indeed be tackled. But I like to plea for a thorough investigation that hears both sides”. And how has the jurisdiction been regulated? “There is now a discussion about who we call an extremist or radical. The government is not allowed to say when ever they like: throw them out”.

The Netherlands has 453 mosques according to the Social and Cultural-planning agency of the government. Nearly all have multiple foreign Imams. We still have a long way to go…

See also part 1: 3 Imams to be expelled (1)

Source: NU(1), NU(2), Telegraaf, NRC(1), NRC(2), NRC(3), Trouw

Al-Jazeera: Wilders is Extremist

2005-02-23T08:00:00.001+01:00

Yesterday Al-Jazeera TV started a sequel about Europe and the first country they coverd was The Netherlands. Achmed Kamel who interviewed Dutch representative Wilders for Al-Jazeera calls Wilders a “provocative and insulting extremists who profits from fear”. In Dutch TV program Nova he said that Wilders only wants to profit from the tension between two communities for political gain but not to solve anything.

The interview Achem had with Wilders that was broadcasted worldwide by Al-Jazeera yesterday. In the interview Wilders says that there is currently antagonism between democracy and Islam and points out that there is no single Arab country that has a parliamentary Democracy.

It was remarkable that Aljazeera showed the Dutch Queen when they said that some politicians in The Netherlands called for calm, suggesting that she did not support criticizers like Wilders. The defenders of the Islamic interests seem to have a very sharp eye for the political map of The Netherlands.

What a coincidence, Dutch mainstream political parties, especially on the left, agree fully with Achmed.

Update:
An other Dutch news program "Netwerk" also reports on the Aljazeera program on The Netherlands. The led Arabist Leo Kwarten who runs his ow Middle Eastern Consultancy company in the Netherlands and who is often quoted in Dutch media, says about the Aljazeera broadcast: "a very balanced report" and he appreciates their "nuanced report".

Interesting was also to hear the Aljazeera view on the Netherlands:

"guest country of a million Muslims who live there now half a century. They have thousands of Islamic organizations, 300 mosques in 100 cities and villages, 2 Muslim universities and more than 40 state financed Muslim schools".

All true, except that they do not live here for half a century...

Source: NOS, Netwerk

3 Imams to be expelled

2005-02-23T08:00:00.000+01:00

Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk is moving to deport three Muslim clerics because of accusations they represent a threat to public order and national security. The three imams will be declared undesirable aliens and two of them will have their residence permits cancelled, the first such action has been taken against clerics. In the third imam's case, an application for an extension of a residence permit will be refused.

The Dutch security service AIVD said one of the imams originates from Bosnia and a second comes from Kenya. The AIVD did not want to declare the origin of the third imam.

Minister Verdonk took the decision in Inquiries by the AIVD indicated that the imams "contribute to the radicalization of Muslims in the Netherlands", the Justice Ministry said on Tuesday. All three imams work at the Al Fourkaan mosque at the Otterstraat in Eindhoven.

The ministry claims the imams tried to recruit, or tolerated the recruiting, of Muslims for Jihad, or holy war. They are also accused of using their sermons to urge Muslims to "isolate" themselves from the rest of Dutch society. The AIVD said the mosque in Eindhoven disseminated the Salafist philosophy — which is strongly opposed to Western society and the imams there were sponsoring aversion of the West in their sermons.

In the past the Al Fourkaan has been often in the news:

Jihadist die in Kasmir
Two young Moroccan boys: Ahmed el Bakiouli and Khariq el Hassnoui where regular visitors of the Al Fourkaan mosque. Ahmed was a brother of Youssef el Bakiouli who is teacher of the to Mosques allied school Tarieq Ibnoe Ziyad (the school that was attacked after the murder on Van Gogh). In January 2002 the two boys wanted to join the Jihad but where shot dead in Karmir.

Al Ouakf Al Islami Foundation
The intelligence service has reported in 2000 that the “Al Ouakf Al Islami” foundation operated from the same address. This foundation, funded from Saudi Arabia was propagating segragation to young Dutch Muslims. The family of died Jihadist Ahmed el Bakiouli was involved in the foundation.

Mohammed Cheppih
The spokes person of the ‘el Bakiouli’ family was Mohammed Cheppih, he and his father act also as imam in the Al Fourkaan mosque. But he is also the Dutch director of the ‘Moslem World League’, an organization that is suspected of financing the 9/11 attacks. Cheppih is a very known muslim, who often has defended Moslem ‘rights’ on Dutch television. He was nearly the leader of the Dutch terrorist front organization AEL, but after much media attention and intelligence attention he decided that a less visible role would suite him better. In the past he has worked together with Wael Jalaidan, who is identified as the logistical manager of Bin Laden who also has visited The Netherlands. Cheppih: “I knew Jalaidan personally and he has done worldwide delivered enormously contribution for humanitarian work from Saudi Arabia”

9/11 Hijackers
Two of the 9/11 Hijackers have come from Germany to taken lessons in the Mosque prior to their terror attack in the US.

Abdul-Jabber van de Ven
The Dutch Muslim convert, van der Ven, who said just after the murder on Theo van Gogh that he hoped that Wilders would die also preaches at the Al Fourkaan mosque and is attached to the Al Ouakf Al Islami foundation.

Jason Walters
The arrested Dutch/American jihadist, Jason Walters, who was planning to assassinated Wilders and Hirsi Ali and who throw hand grenades to the police during his arrest (See Chatting with terrorist) was a regular visitor of the Al Fourkaan mosque. He saw Abdul-Jabber van de Ven as his spirtual leader who could give fatwa's for the Jihad.

Dive club
In 2003 it was reported that the fundamentalist's Al Fourkaan mosque in Eindhoven was recruiting people for a dive trainning at the Islamic Dive center Safe Divings.

This is only a list issues I remembered about this mosque. If you would do some research, I bet you find a whole lot more. So it is good that the Dutch government finally comes into action against this mosque. This the first time the government comes into action against Imams and it was about time they came into action. But wouldn’t you agree it is too little, too late?

See also part 2: 3 Imams to be expelled (2)

Wilders in Prison (3)

2005-02-22T22:00:00.000+01:00

The story about the parliamentary representatives, Geert Wilders and Ayaan Hirsi Ali who are kept in prison and army barracks for their protection continues…

See also:
Wilders in Prison (1)
Wilders in Prison (2)

Today Minister Donner has sent a letter to parliament about the affair. In the letter he writes that the revelations by Hirsh Ali not only endangered her self but also the people who take care of her security. According to Donner, there was no need for their complaints; he is doing all he can. He says that the style of their security is their free choice and that they have agreed upon it. Also he seems to insinuate that Wilders is not kept in a prison cell.

Wilders was disturbed and said Donner tells half-truths about his security. About Donners denial that he is living in a cell he said: “It certainly is a cell”.

In his letter Donner also writes that they had found last week a location for Hirsh Ali that met the criteria and he insinuates that Hirsi Ali is picky. But Hirsi Ali said that that is not true: “On February 3rd I inspected a location, to which I said ‘yes’, but the people of the NCBB [National Coordinator Security of Donner] have advised me not to do it. Because my neighbor, Henk van der Meijden [best known gossip journalist of the Netherlands, who is now retired], had a view on my balcony.

Donner also suggest that Wilders preferred to live in the prison cell: “who under the circumstances where explicitly preferred by him [Wilders]”. But Wilders now says, “it is rubbish that I preferred that”. “I only had the option between worse and worse, it was either a jail or a barrack. What I wanted, was a secure residence, but that was not allowed at that moment”.

But that is not all Donner also writes that Hirsi Ali, after the murder of Theo van Gogh had chosen her self to stay for a couple of months abroad. This is according to Hirsi Ali “a strange vision on the idea of free choice”. “I had the option between being murdered and flee. They told me: If you want to stay a couple of nights on the same address you have to go out of the country. That had been motivated by fear.”

But Donner is not only angry on Hirsi Ali and Wilders, he is also angry on liberal (VVD) vice Prime Minister Zalm. In the past, when Zalm was still leader of the liberal (VVD) party, he had personally asked Hirsi Ali to join his liberal party. Zalm has now said that the housing of Wilders and Hirsi Ali was “bad” and called it “insane” that they had to move constantly and had to stay in a prison and army barrack. “The government has to stop this” and “it can not be that in The Netherlands, threatened parliamentary representatives are only safe in a prison”. Donner was angred by these remarks and asked Zalm to come and explain his statements.

The Letter Donner had send to parliament:

February 22, 2005

Because of the recent publicity about the residence of Ms. Hirsi Ali and Mr. Geert Wilders I want to inform you about some aspects of their security.

I deplore the fact that due to statements in the media made by Hirsi Ali, their location has become public knowledge. That is not only dangerous for them but also for the security personnel and others who provide services to them. Because of revelation in the media about their staying locations, we had to take appropriate measures.

The main point in the security arrangements for the involved person, is the protection of his physical integrity or –as is now the case- against threats against their live. For this the security services have a package of measures in the object and person protection sphere. The primary focus is on the security of their residence. Security and protection is custom work that depends on the kind of threat, the likelihood and other circumstances.

Also it is the intention of the security procedures that these measures will make it possible that a person can participate in normal social exchanges both professional and private. It is of eminent importance that the protected persons co-operate in the execution of these protective measures. Depending on the severity of the threat and the needed measures this will determine the impact on personal live of the involved person. I understand the great pressure that the heavy security measures causes.

In the case of Ms. Hirsi Ali and Mr. Wilders a large number of threats against their physical integrity and life, lead to a need for measures of personal protection. Under the influence of increasing threats after the murder on Van Gogh, Ms. Hirsi Ali – and later Mr. Wilders – where urgently advised to leave their own domicile of that time. Ms. Hirsi Ali at that time choose her self to stay for some moths outside The Netherlands. The government facilitated her wish. Already before her return to the Netherlands we had a safe location for her available. Miss Hirsi Ali rejected this location. At that time it was agreed upon that after her return to the Netherlands, because of all attention about her return, she would stay for 14 days in a safe house. After that she would be temporary housed until a permanent location would came available. The National Coordinator Security (NCBB) has in my name spoken with her, with the intention to realize a permanent secure living environment with an express focus on quality of living. Shortly after her return Ms. Hirsi Ali has indicated that she was satisfied with her safe house. She wanted to stay there until she got housed at a permanent location. The step of a temporary housing was skipped on her request. In the mean while, a few houses where inspected on behave of the NCBB. None of these houses turned out to be satisfactory. It seems clear that personal wishes and security needs not always go together. Beginning last week there was inspected a location that could meet the criteria and for which was already chosen unless within 14 days a better alternative would come up. Last week it was already agreed with the NCBB that this week there would be more inspections of other housing possibilities that could lead to possible better housing.

With respect to Mr. Wilders, due to security concerns he could no longer stay in is old residence. Due to the circumstances he has been housed on different locations and since that he stays – after deliberation – on a secure location, who under the circumstances where explicitly preferred by him. It was agreed with him that for the time being he would search on his own initiative for a permanent residence location and that he would propose some alternatives to the NCBB. Until this weekend, I had no indications, what so ever, that Mr. Wilders wanted a other arrangement. Also I want to stress that his location is not a “cell” but on a location that, both in quality and size, meets the requirements for such a location.

In consequence of the messages in the media, a meeting on the request of Mr. Wilders and Ms. Hirsi Ali has taken place with me. We have spoken about the situation. Conclusion of this meeting was that we continue to search in cooperation with the involved persons to search for safe housing and than on request of Mr. Wilders this will also be done for him. I realize that sooner or later, the address of these locations will not stay secret. This aspect will be taken into account when choosing their permanent secure locations.

When needed, I am willing to inform the parliamentary commission for Intelligence and Security services about certain details on the basis of confidentiality.

The Justice Minister [Donner]

See Also:
Wilders in Prison (1)
Wilders in Prison (2)
Wilders in Prison (4)
Hirsi Ali released

Evidence of political intimidation
Donner: Wilders is safe if he stops
Wilders: Minister Donner lies
Democracy is DEAD
Where is (R) Hirsi Ali?
Warning for Wilders supporters
First Speech Geert Wilders

Bloggers comment on the affair:
Delfstman - "I was sickened by the thought ..."
National Review: The corner - "Grim news from Holland ..."
Blogs for Bush - "wages of cowardice ..."
Prairie Fire - "cowardly appeasement mentality ..."
VFR - "Freedom for Moslems means slavery for us"
MyBlog.de - "Eine unglaubliche Schande in Holland ..."
Livejournal Ruggels - "THis is just sad"
Gene Expression - Parliamentarians in prison = security?
Belmont Club - The World Turned Upside Down

Sources: Justice department (The Letter), NRC

Bush visits EU

2005-02-22T19:00:00.000+01:00

Bush is visiting Belgium, well actually he is visiting the European union, let’s just hope the Belgium’s can behave this time. Belgium blogger LVB.net follows the visits and the incidents… (In English!)

Although US president Bush is not going to visit the Netherlands he did mention Holland in his speech, once. He said that we should reject anti Semitism in all its form but also the violence we have seen in The Netherlands.

But what did he mean by that? Did he mean the Muslim violence against criticasters? Was it an indirect criticism on the Dutch government for not protecting Islam criticizers? Or did he refer to the burning of the Muslim school? Well, the Dutch press assumes the last option. Let’s hope Mr. Bush will clarify his remark latter.

Source: ND

Wilders in Prison (2)

2005-02-21T21:00:00.000+01:00

Earlier I reported that representative Wilders is in Prison, because he is under threat by Dutch Islamic extremist. This is part 2 of the story:

Parliamentary chairman Weisglas now says he is “shocked by the disinterested reactions” in parliament after the protest of representatives Hirsi Ali and Wilders. ”I think the parliamentary members accept it way to easy that a colleague, has to sleep for months in a prison cell”. He describes it as a “disgrace” and “a pathetic show” that Wilders is in prison to protect him against terrorism. Weisglas says he has this weekend made it “very clear” to the government that the two representatives should be able to live in normal circumstances.

Parliament
Hirsi Ali has proposed a parliamentary debate about the matter, but this weekend she did not get any support of the other parliamentary members. Most are silent and some criticizes them:

After prime Minster Balkenende and justice minister Donner condemned the protest. Other parliamentary members did the same. Christian (CDA) Representative Haersma Buma declared Friday that the protest “now way what so ever” contributed to a solution. Liberal (VVD) Representative Bibi de Vries, vice fraction leader, called the actions of her liberal colleague “clumsy”. Socialist (PvdA) leader Wouter Bos questions if Hirsi Ali operates smartly: “I understand her though situation, but that will not improve by her remarks”.

Hirsi Ali criticizes Balkenende sharply for his condemnations, she says: “In the get the impression that he thinks it is our own fault”. Represent Wilders says his isolated stay in prison camp Zeist is “nearly not livable”. He thinks that minister Donner does not understand their situation, “I do not wish this for anybody, but for the understanding it would not be bad if he would realize what Hirsi Ali and I go through”.

The Experts
Security expert Hans Salman says in NRC newspaper that he nearly couldn’t believe the news: “Wilders? In a prison?”. With his company International Security Partners (ISP) he often works for families who need personal protection. In the 80s he still worked for the Dutch police and was involved in the protection of the French ambassador, who was under threat by top terrorist Carlos the Jackal. He was also involved in the protection of the Turkeys ambassador, who was under threat of the ultra nationalistic Turkeys Gray Wolves.

Salman who has now 25 years experience says he is “very surprised” how the two are housed. “This is asking for trouble” he says and continues with: “Every body knows that nobody can endure something like this. Staying for moths in a cell in Zeist or the Amsterdam Marine complex – I know both locations – generates a lot of emotional resistance: nobody can sustain that”.

This can easily be done differently, says Salman. “Heavily threatened people can easily stay in a villa with a garden. An attacker also makes a risk assessment. The big problem with personal protection is according to Salman “the street risk”, as expert call it. “It is much more important that you take care of the moment you leave the car or house. Those are the critical moments”.

Former Amsterdam police commissioner and security expert Kees Sietsma, emphasizes that all depends on the risk assessment [of the Dutch intelligence service]. He says that the protected people should also be aware of the risks for the security personnel and refers to the bombing of the ex-prime Minster of Lebanon who was blown up last week. But he says, Hirsi Ali and Wilders are right to say that in countries like Israel, the United States, Spain and Italy, the living addresses of people under threat are not secret.

Arie Duijdam of Interseco, the biggest personnel protection firm in The Netherlands also thinks there are other alternatives, he is surprised that the government does not use its safe houses. He says he has seen protective techniques in many countries, but “the kind of security measures used in The Netherlands for these parliamentary members is so far he knows, never used any where else. This is very tough”.

The government
Today Minister Donner spoke with both Hirsi Ali and Wilders. His spokes person said that he has told them “he keeps searching for a safe solution to house them in a permanent house”. He will inform the parliament about the conversation tomorrow by letter. According to Donner they had a “good conversation” at the Ministry of Justice.

Hirsi Ali
Hirsi Ali now says, “that it is very good” that they are now working on the matter. Donner has told her that he made available 1 civil servant to search fulltime to a secure house for her. Hirsi Ali: “it is not yet clear if prime Minster Balkenende and Justice minister Donner have taken the principal step, that parliamentary members will not be put away. That still dependents on their new efforts. If you put Wilders in a cell, what do you think the message to terrorists will be? If you on the other hand, arrange normal housing, you say: threatened parliamentary members are allowed to continue their work, without any censor ship”.

Hirsi Ali says she does not want to stay a representative if she cannot live in a house that is hers. She has already given up most of her housing wishes. Her only housing wish left, is that the house has a garden or balcony, so she does not have to leave the house if she wants some fresh air. “I don’t want that a whole column of security guards has to come when ever miss Hirsi Ali wants to sit for a moment in the sun”.

See Also:
Wilders in Prison (1)
Wilders in Prison (3)
Wilders in Prison (4)
Hirsi Ali released

Evidence of political intimidation
Donner: Wilders is safe if he stops
Wilders: Minister Donner lies
Democracy is DEAD
Where is (R) Hirsi Ali?
Warning for Wilders supporters
First Speech Geert Wilders

Bloggers comment on the affair:
Delfstman - "I was sickened by the thought ..."
National Review: The corner - "Grim news from Holland ..."
Blogs for Bush - "wages of cowardice ..."
Prairie Fire - "cowardly appeasement mentality ..."
VFR - "Freedom for Moslems means slavery for us"
MyBlog.de - "Eine unglaubliche Schande in Holland ..."
Livejournal Ruggels - "THis is just sad"
Gene Expression - Parliamentarians in prison = security?
Belmont Club - The World Turned Upside Down

Sources: NRC, NRC(2), NRC(3), NRC(4), Nu, Trouw

Pim Fortuyn awards

2005-02-19T23:00:00.000+01:00

Today on the 57th birthday of assassinated opposition leader Pim Fortuyn (See Note below), he was commemorated in the Laurentius cathedral. Where this evening also a special service was held and where the Pim Fortuyn awards were given to persons who has devoted them selves to the same causes as Pim Fortuyn did.

The family of the also assassinated Theo van Gogh received posthumous the prices for “most Fortuynist opinion maker of 2004”. Winner in the category “Politician of 2004” was Geert Wilders, the independent candidate who is starting his own political party (See also: Wilders in prison). In the category “Columnist of 2004” the free thinker Pamela Hemelrijk was awarded. She has libertarian views and wrote for example an anti socialist manifesto. Hemelrijk: "I consider socialism an obscene ideology, doomed to end in either total self destruction or total dictatorship" (and that kind of stuff does not make you popular Dutch PC circles).

Note: Pim Fortuyn was assassinated a week before the elections in 2004 by a greener, who opposed his critical position on the Islam. At that moment he was in the poles one of the biggest political parties. He had his party only started a few months before the elections. Theo van Gogh a friend of Pim Fortuyn, made a movie about the murder of Pim Fortuyn (See: 0605 Political Murder explained) . In the movie the Dutch Intelligence service knows about the murder plot, but does nothing to stop it.

Other websites:
Pamela Hemelrijk - Translated column: They all laughed at Christopher Columbus

Source: fok

Wilders in prison

2005-02-18T20:00:00.000+01:00

Parliamentary representatives Geert Wilders, who receives many dead threats from Islamic immigrants is already for months housed in prison camp Zeist. A high secure prison that was also used for the Lockerbie terrorists. Wilders has to sleep in a prison cell. Representative Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who is also on the Islamists hit list, is housed on a heavily guarded Marine complex in Amsterdam.

Hirsi Ali told this today to the press. She wanted to protest how they both are treated. Representative Wilders declined to comment on the matter.

Ayaan Hirsi Ali reveals their secret locations “out of fear that others discover it. I want to live on a place of which everybody knows: here lives a threatened representative, but she is safe there. That’s how they do that in countries like Israel and the United States, but also in Italy and Spain.”

She experiences it as “very unjust and pathetic” that she has to live on secret locations. She thinks the “basic rights to be involved in politics” is under threat by the security philosophy professed by Minister Donner and the National Security Coordinator (NCBB). She says the philosophy is this: “Who is under threat should disappear”.

This way they “unintended reach the goals of my opponents who do every thing to stop me: from threats to murder plans.”, Hirsi Ali says.

The threatened representatives are them selves not informed about nature or gravity of the threats. Hirsi Ali says the situation is also no longer temporary. She already had to leave her own house in September 2002. But she can not reach agreement with the NCBB about a permanent residence: "Their objective is that is has to be a secret location, without a view, a house where nobody can see you. That way you always have the risk that you have to move, if some does see you"

Representative Wilders is told, that he has to stay in jail until September before he can get other housing. Five years a go this prison was used to hold the Libyan terrorist who blew up a plane above Lockerbie. After the Lockerbie trial the prison has been used for drug traffickers from Schiphol. But at this moment it is used for illegal aliens and other criminals.

Hirsi Ali confirms that her work as a representative is under pressure: “the work of a representative is stressful, I can not go home in the weekend and unwind like other representatives. I’m prepared to invest heavily in public life, but this is out of proportion. I have no freedom.”

Note: The press and other parliamentary members, some even of her own liberal (VVD) party have attacked Hirsi Ali in the past and suggested that her work as representative is under pressure and said she could better stop.

Update: Reactions on Hirsi Ali

Represent Wilders says in the TV news that he "agrees for 300% with her critique" given by Hirsi Ali earlier this day. He says he is offered "other options than the prison cell, but they where just as bad". He says he can understand that directly after the murder of Theo van Gogh there was no housing, but now it is different.

Prime minister Balkenende was not pleased with Hirsi Ali her statements, because it would harm their security. He finds it "nearly unbelievable" that a representative gives away hiding place. He does not want to make security a source of public discussion. The police confirms that Hirsi Ali stayed at the Marine base, but says she will not go there ever again.

Justice minister Donner, responsible for their security, says he regrets her statements. He says he understands their difficult situation but that they should restrain them selves when they speak about personal security. In the past Donner has said that Wilders and others should not use their personnel protection as status symbol.

Parliamentary chairman Weisglass says the government should make more effort in providing as normal housing as possible for the two parliamentary members. Last month he called it a duty of the government that parliamentary members can lead a normal life.

Vice fraction leader B. de Vries of the liberal party (VVD), the party of Hirsi Ali, says it is not handy of Hirsi Ali to give away her address: "Now her security is even more at risk and that can not be her intention. The Liberal party (VVD) worries about that".

See Also:
Wilders in Prison (2)
Wilders in Prison (3)
Wilders in Prison (4)
Hirsi Ali released

Evidence of political intimidation
Donner: Wilders is safe if he stops
Wilders: Minister Donner lies
Democracy is DEAD
Where is (R) Hirsi Ali?
Warning for Wilders supporters
First Speech Geert Wilders

Bloggers comment on the affair:
Delfstman - "I was sickened by the thought ..."
National Review: The corner - "Grim news from Holland ..."
Blogs for Bush - "wages of cowardice ..."
Prairie Fire - "cowardly appeasement mentality ..."
VFR - "Freedom for Moslems means slavery for us"
MyBlog.de - "Eine unglaubliche Schande in Holland ..."
Livejournal Ruggels - "THis is just sad"
Gene Expression - Parliamentarians in prison = security?
Belmont Club - The World Turned Upside Down

H/T: Dutch Disease
Source: NRC, NU, Nieuws

Police could have caught ‘The Syrian’

2005-02-18T19:01:00.000+01:00

Local Dutch newspaper, Parool, now reports that the only member of the Terrorist network the ‘Hofstad groep’ who is not arrested is their leader Redouan al-Issar (A.K.A. The Syrian). Could have been arrested any moment the police or the intelligence service had wanted.

They also write that Redouan (43), was at the time of the murder on Theo van Gogh, in The Netherlands. His wife, a Muslim convert, lives in the ‘Moerwijk’ neighbourhood. He regularly visited her and their child. The intelligence service knew her address. But people in the ‘Moerwijk’ neighbourhood in Denhaag say the have seen him visiting her in the fall 2004 several times. He was regular seen walking with his baby and stepchild. One witness even says, he saw him in November, the same month Theo van Gogh was murdered by Mohammed Bouyeri.

The intelligence service had the Syrian under surveillance. Since August 2002 he is know to be a leading figure in the Hofstad group. Under his leadership mostly Moroccan youth has been prepared for the violent Jihad against the enemies of Islam. After the murder of Theo van Gogh the justice department issued an international warrant for the Syrian.

The Syrian was also arrested in 2003, on charges of preparing a terrorist attack in The Netherlands (Then they also searched the house of Mohammed Bouyeri). But the court case failed because the prosecutor could not provide the evidence. But Redouan, was declared an “unwanted alien”. In December 2003 they deported him to Germany, where he in the 90s tried with no result to get asylum.

This court order made it possible to arrest Reduoan at any moment the intelligence service wanted. But they did not do that. Neither the police nor the intelligence service AIVD wanted to comment on the matter.

So why did the intelligence service did not arrest him? If it was because they wanted to monitor this terrorist leader, why then was he not under close surveillance, with no possibility to escape? It must be said: in the movie 0605, the movie The van Gogh just finished before his dead, the intelligence service also knew of the coming murder of Pim Fortuyn. But the service did nothing to prevent it, due to political motives. If that would be the case, the service would at least know what they were doing, but I am afraid it is even worse: they are just sheer incompetent…

H/T: Dutch Disease

Source: Parool

A city in The Netherlands

2005-02-18T19:00:00.000+01:00

In the local Dutch newspaper 'Brabands Dagblad' it is reported that in the city of Den Bosh there are 16 gangs of mainly Moroccan youth who cause trouble. In total about 300 people. A research institute (IVA) rated half of them in the highest problem group that is involved in things like: theft, receiving, drug trafficking, drugs pushing, battering or in some cases even manslaughter or rape. The newspaper also reported that the government does not have good information about the problems and how to deal with it.

In the area of Den Bosch live around 131.664 people of which around 3726 are first and second generation Moroccan immigrants (Dutch Source: Wijkenoverzicht). That means we are talking about around 8% of the Moroccan's. But if we take demographics in account we get even worse results. Nation wide demographic numbers for Moroccan's (Dutch source: iseo-eur) say that 20% of the Moroccan's are age 14-25. That would estimate the Moroccan youth with an age between 14-25 to around 750 in Den Bosh.

That would mean that around 40% of the Moroccan youth in Den Bosch is causing extreme problems. But the girls, who are approximate 50% of the youth, are never involved in street crimes and harassments cases. This means that these number say that 80% of the Moroccan boys in Den Bosh are involved in street violence. Pretty scary number isn't it?

See also:
Robber dies

H/T: Dutch Disease
Source: Brabands Dagblad

Ruud Lubbers

2005-02-18T06:00:00.000+01:00

The Slaying of the Dutch Filmmaker

2005-02-17T23:00:00.000+01:00

The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment FFI has published on 2 February 2005 a highly interesting report: 'The Slaying of the Dutch Filmmaker' with Security classification: unclassified.

In the introduction, it is stressed that the Norwegian report "surveys in depth the available open source information about the ritualistic murder of the filmmaker Theo Van Gogh on the streets of Amsterdam on November 2, 2004". It does include, however, some information not from 'open sources', but provided by an unidentified 'Dutch intelligence official' in January 2005. Some of those remarks:

-It has (.....) been confirmed that three members of the network trained in Kashmiri jihad camps in Pakistan, and that two members attended a training facility in Afghanistan.

-Mohammed Bouyeri probably had a more important role in the group than was first perceived. The fact that the group regularly convened in his house is an indicator that he played an important role. In addition, his profile matches those of leading operatives and coordinators of planned attacks throughout Western Europe. There are indications that Bouyeri was the "communications coordinator" of the Hofstad Network.

-His current whereabouts is unknown, but according to a Dutch intelligence official there are indications that he might have headed back to Syria. (re. the Syrian preacher Ridwan al-Issar, the alleged ideological leader of the group.)

The members of the Hofstad Network:

Samir Azzouz
Mohammed Bouyeri aka Abu Zubair
Ahmed Hamdi
Mohammed Fahmi Boughabe aka Abu Mussab
Zine L.
Ismail Akhnikh aka Suheib
Jason Walters aka Abu Mujahied al-Amrikie
Mohamed Bassem al-Issa aka Radwan al-Issa aka Abu Khaled
Yousef E.
Mohammed El Morabit
Nouredine El Fatmi
Mohammed El Bouklaoui
Rachid Bousana
Zakaria T.
Nadir A.
Jermain Walters

Conclusion

Conclusions from an unclassified Norvegian report on the Van Gogh killing:

The analysis (.....) indicates that the slaying of Theo Van Gogh should be considered a terrorist attack, not by a lone fanatic, but by a member of an al-Qaida inspired Sunni Islamist ad-hoc terrorist network. For example, the modus operandi of the attack was typical of al-Qaida and its associated groups waging global jihad against the US and its allies around the world. The radical Islamist milieu the killer belonged to, the Hofstad Network, was involved in the same type of activities and "organized" itself in the same way as other al-Qaida associated or inspired terrorist networks that have been detected in Western Europe recent years. In addition, the social profiles of Bouyeri, and other members of the Hofstad Network, resemble those of incarcerated militant Islamists who have been planning attacks in European countries.

Contextual analysis of the operation in Amsterdam indicates potential motivations related to multiple contexts that could be considered relevant for Muslim immigrants to Holland, such as Dutch immigration policy and counter-terrorism efforts, the "global war on terrorism" and the invasion of Iraq, as well as increased conflict-levels in areas of political grievance and symbolic value to Islamists and Muslims in general, such as in Palestine, Chechnya and Kashmir. In addition the Van Gogh case suggests that statements by high-profile persons that are exposed in the media might be interpreted as "insults against Islam", and thus serve as partial motivation for terrorism, or at least affect the target selection of the Islamist militants, who have chosen terrorism as a strategy in the battle against the US and its allies. The murder of the filmmaker also showed the effectiveness of an assassination of a public figure in spreading fear and escalating the levels of conflict between the Dutch and immigrants to Holland, adding to a growing xenophobia, which in turn might lead to increased problems of integration, and make alienated young Muslim immigrants receptive of al-Qaida's vision of global jihad.

From a counter terrorism perspective, the concept of complex motivations, or multiple social, political and religious motivations (related to different contexts), implies that the police and intelligence services working to prevent terrorist attacks should pay careful attention to political developments beyond the geographical area they police, and be aware that Islamist terrorism might occur as a response by developments in other countries, or faraway areas of the world. There is an urgent need for systematically mapping motivational factors and "triggers", as well as mapping the various types of targets that might be attacked, the timing and the operational patterns of the terrorist cells, in order to develop effective early warning systems. In this respect one has to find out more about who the terrorists are, and the social contexts that "produce" potential terrorists. In addition it seems important, in the prosecution of terrorist suspects, to strike a balance between being firm, on the one hand, and being prudent and just on the other. This in order not to stir unnecessary anger among broader segments of the Diaspora communities and create new incentives for joining militant groups. On the political level, as much as possible should be done to reduce social and political grievances locally and internationally, that might motivate Islamist terrorists, and might be interpreted in terms of al-Qaida's ideology that Islam is under a worldwide attack by the US and its allies.

Read full report here.

H/T: intel-weblog.nl

Source: Norwegian Defence Research Establishment FFI, 'The Slaying of the Dutch Filmmaker'.

Many Terror Attacks Prevented

2005-02-17T20:00:00.000+01:00

The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment has said in an interview with Radio Netherlands that 15 major terrorist attacks have been prevented in Europe since September 11, 2001. It gave no further details but did say that the plans were for attacks that were aimed at killing large numbers of people. The Dutch Intelligence Service confirmed that an unspecified number of large attacks in The Netherlands had also been thwarted.

Norway has also published the first foreign report over the death of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh.
The report says that the so-called 'Hofstad Group' was comprised of 16 people and was organized exactly like other terrorist cells in Europe that have been inspired by al-Qaeda. The Norwegian report said the man suspected of murdering Mr van Gogh played a much more important role in the 'Hofstad Group' than is generally assumed.

Source: Radio Netherlands

Dutch leave the country

2005-02-15T23:00:00.001+01:00

This year the emigration is bigger than the immigration.

Read more here: telegraph.co.uk.

H/T: Modern Tribalist

Hindu temple under attack

2005-02-15T23:00:00.000+01:00

DutchDisease blog translated this Dutch-language article:

A Hindu temple in The Hague, the Ram Mandir, is frequently being attacked by a group of Moroccan youth. Young Hindu’s are so fed up with the situation they want to take matters into their own hands.

Morrocans shoved dog faeces through the mailbox, broke into the temple twice, took a statue, urinated inside and stole money from the moneybox. Mister S. Ramdhani, a Hindu priest, says: “They spit, don’t let visitors pass through, robbed two elderly ladies and then threatened them not to press charges. Our secretary was attacked with a stick.”

Ramdhani doesn’t want young Hindu’s and Moroccans to clash. “If groups start fighting each other we get a very bad situation. We can’t have that here in Holland.” Ramdhani is very bitter about the case. Last year he was given a ribbon by the queen for his contribution to the integration of foreigners in the neighbourhood. Every year thousands of students from The Hague come to the temple to learn more about the Hindu faith, it’s also a haven for troubled teens. Since 9/11 Ramdhani has been trying to reach out to Christians and Muslims.

The trouble caused by Moroccan youth has made a dent in Ramdhani’s idealism. He’s thinking about no longer attending the 9/11 meetings. “I feel discriminated against. Why they have to choose our temple? There is a mosque nearby. Why don’t they go over there to cause trouble? They must hate the Hindu faith. Otherwise I don’t know.”

Rabin Baldewsingh, a member of the city council for the social-democrats, asked mayor Deetman for help. The police says it’s ‘on the agenda’.

H/T: Jihad Watch , Source: Dutch Disease

Living safely

2005-02-14T22:00:00.000+01:00

Here a story of a multi cultural neighborhood in the city of Utrecht:

After stones through the windows, a burning car driven against the house and two arson attacks, the house at the Nijenrodeplantsoen in the Zuilense neighborhood of the city of Utrecht is still empty. The last tenant, a woman of 34 has fled the city of Utrecht. In her new house in a small village, far away from Zuilen [neighborhood in the city of Utrecht], she now tells her story.

I am still scared, still nervous when I walk through my new house. And I am angry. I feel abandoned. Why did they not listen to me?

In 1999 I came to the house in Zuilen. The man, who had hired the house before me, was stabbed just before the front door. That I had to hear from my neighbors. Mitros [the semi government social housing service] and the police didn’t tell me. If you know what happened here, you would not give this house to a mother with two children, would you? The first year I lived here, not much happened. Some times there was a group of Moroccan youth in front of my door.

Some times they where with five, some times with twenty, but I could talk with them. When my children would go to bed, they moved to a spot down the road. It all went wrong, when the group’s composition changed. The older boys left and new younger boys took their place.

It started with abusive language. They said the most horrendous things too me. After that the vandalism started. Throwing mud, latter eggs on the windows. Around new year, the put firework through my letterbox opening in the front door. From the gallery above, they threw garbage bags in my garden. At times there where ten of them banging on my back yard fence. And a lot of theft took place. I lost my video recorder, wallet and a bicycle. It was also a horror for my children. They had no friends, were called names, got kicked and punched. Rocks were thrown to them and their bikes where trashed. They where pestered and driven out of the playground. I could not provide security to my children, not even in my own house. That’s the worst thing that can happen for a mother.

Later the eggs became stones. And those did go through the windows, even when I was at home. Once I grabbed such a little punk, but I had to take punches from an older boy. I had to let him go, I did not wanted to be totally beat-up by them. It became a campaign, only directed against me. Why? If I talked to them, they told me they wanted a youth center. Apparently my house was a very suitable location for that. Maybe they had to have me, because I, unlike my neighbors, filled charges of the vandalism and burglary.

They saw the police officers at my house and would later retaliate. I tried to talk to the parents of the boys. From others (via, via), I came to know their addresses and visited them. But suddenly these people didn’t speak Dutch any more.

With New Year, two years ago, it went totally out of control. A small, curtain at an open window, was put on fire. At that moment I was already busy moving out, I could not take it any more. Later they even threw a Molotov cocktail, via the rear, in the house. I was just lucky, that the carpeting and furniture was already removed at that moment. Otherwise my whole house would have been burned to the ground.

Of course I went to the police and filed charges. But nothing happened. You had to sit for hours on the police station, but nothing happened. Mitros has made the most mistakes. I told them I wanted to move as soon as possible to an other house, but according to the police and Mitros the situation was initially not serious enough. Even a conversation with alderman Spekman (Socialist –PvdA) did not change anything. In August they finally offered me this house [all cheap housing in Holland is government regulated]. I did not had to think a second about it, although I am born in Utrecht, I just wanted to flea this city. I am relieved that I got a new start here. A quite neighborhood with normal neighbors. If I am in Utrecht, I duck if I see familiar faces. I warn my children for groups of Moroccan youth and if I see them my self, I take a walk.

I try not to discriminate. That is hard, but I think I do fine. I have very nice Moroccan neighbors above me. You cannot generalize them all together. One of the reasons that I tell this story is that my old neighbors are still in the same situation. They are scared. I am certain that in other neighborhoods, there are people in the same situation. I don’t think I was the only one. No, I know that fore sure.

The local politicians:

Halbe Zijlsta, local Liberal party (VVD) leader:
“This is totally unacceptable. A few years a go it was in the Schaakwijk neighborhood and now in Nijenrodeplantsoen. I say: kick some ass. Literally. Who does want not listen has to feel it. That is also in the interest of the local Moroccan community, they see it coming: again Moroccan youngsters. I expect the burgomaster to act tough now. We do not accept it again, if they want to send more social workers. That would be a rearward for them. In the mean while, there should come a mobile police post in front of the house.”

Vincent Oldenborg, local party ‘leefbaar Utrecht’ leader:
“I walk each day past that empty house, but I did not know what happened there. But now that I know, I think an educational punch would be in order here. Sure the ministry does not allow it and child abuse is also not allowed but I believe a big educational punch would be help full here. Apprehend them and take them to the police station, that way parents can’t say their children aren’t involved. I think, this should be solved via the parents.”

Rinda den Besten, local Socialist (PvdA) leader:
“This story about nuisance in [neighborhood] Zuilen is not new. In the past the municipality has hand out money to do nice thinks, but that apparently does not help. The situation at the Nijenrodeplantsoen has become preposterous. We have to force change. If this continues, you can expect more families to leave. If the neighborhood wants a Moroccan family in the house and that would solve the problem, then Mitros should make that possible. It doesn’t sound well, but the problem is, that the Moroccan youth has no places to go to. That is a complex problem, for which are no easy solutions. "

Kars Boers, town councilor for the Communists (SP):
“That house is a target for those boys, I’ve seen it with my own eyes. It is ridiculous that the police say that we all should take care of this city to getter. The police just has to react directly when people call them, and after an hour. The police can’t fool the people. The people see, that they don’t do anything. Should a whole neighborhood bow for these boys? No, the police should show who is the boss.”

Robert Giesberts, town councilor for the Greens (Groenlinks):
“I want to acknowledge that there is street terror in that neighborhood, but what I miss totally in this story is the youth social workers. While youth workers are needed very badly. It is also important to have soon more hangout places. I agree with the police that people should file charges, although the police might use that to blur that they have not done enough.”

National Politics

But also the national politics reacts, Conservative Representative Geert Wilders, is going to ask parliamentary questions about the affair. He want to know if it is true that due to street terror a mother of two children had to flee the city and why the police did not acted more firmly. But also questions if burgomaster Brouwer has done enough to stop the street terror.

Representative Geert Wilders, used to have his domicile in the city of Utrecht, but had to leave due to safety concerns. In the past he has called the neighborhood where he lived the worst place to live in The Netherlands...

This is not the first time stories like these reach the press, they seem to represent some of the problems in the big city neighborhoods.

H/T: Dutch Disease Report

Sources: Utrechts Nieuwsblad (1), Utechts Nieuwsblad (2), fok, RTV Utrecht

Police recruits in Mosque

2005-02-12T18:00:00.002+01:00

Dutch police is actively recruiting under immigrants because many think Dutch police force should be a representation of the whole Dutch society. In the region Braband-Noord in the south of the Netherlands, police does every thing they can to recruit Islamic police officers and they held a recruitment day in a Mosque.

In the mosque, police officers talked for example about what kind of problems Moroccan woman face, when they join the force and what the Dutch police does to help solve those problems. So there is for example a special Dutch language education program for the aspiring police officers… But also the physical fitness seems often to be a problem, so the police force has special sport instructors to help them pass the physical admission test.

But some problems can’t be fixed. It is mandatory that wear a police uniform with a hat and a headscarf is prohibited. Things like praying and the Ramadan, can all be handled and should not be a problem.

The reactions in the mosque where positive, some young people already informed about joining the police force. And this month they will organize more meetings like this.

Will they ever learn?

See also:
Air force wants Moroccan’s
Air force wants Moroccan’s (2)
Subsidizing Terrorists

Source: Nieuws , H/T: Dutch Disease Report

Welcome to Sweden

2005-02-11T20:00:00.000+01:00

Normally DutchReport only reports about Dutch events, but I could not ignore this nice news Item on the Swedish television:

Click here to see the movie
(Starts in the Swedish language but soon switches to the English language)

The same things are happening all over Europe...

H/T: Dutch Disease Report

Hirsi Ali on Honor killings

2005-02-11T18:00:00.000+01:00

Just two weeks after liberal (VVD) representative Hirsi Ali came back from hiding in the US, she said in an interview on February 2, 2005 in news paper 'De Volkskrant' that the Dutch government should act much tougher to prevent honor killings. She says it is her mission to help the women who are now in hiding.

She says it involves "hundreds of woman and most likely more". The Police does not collect statistics on honor killings, but a local police force in the area around Den Haag, had this autumn already 40 reports of woman who where seriously threatened by their own families. Hundreds of women are in hiding. Hirsi Ali:

"And that are only the woman who had the guts to file charges. We have an enormous problem in the Netherlands and we do not know how to handle it, it is a blind spot"

Hirsi Ali says that in The Netherlands every body was always focused on discrimination. But very selectively: only discrimination from Dutch against immigrants. But not the live threatening discrimination against woman within the immigrant community it self.

"It is time to wake up now. Recently two other woman where killed"

"Honor killing is a part of something bigger. It has to do with the sexual moral within the Islam, the wish to control the sexuality of the woman. There is a virginity cult. A woman who does not play by the rules, may be repudiated, beaten, murdered"

"There is a state within the state. It is all very structured. Somebody reports to the family: I have seen your sister or daughter in the disco with a stranger, although we had forbidden it. At that moment the family honor is violated. The family will meet to deliberate. In the meeting somebody with authority, the father or the oldest brother, will force the decision"

"The perpetrators know how the Dutch law system works. They send a minor male of the family to the girl, because he will get lower sentence. The boy does his job and report to the police and says he did the act in an impulse and the case is closed. The prosecutor has a murder, murder weapon and perpetrator. Case closed. Ready. The whole family stays silent and the prosecutor leaves it by that"

"Why don't use the intelligence service against the families of those hundreds of woman who are now in hiding?" and "Why don't we continuously monitor them and wire-tap their phone's?"

She says that with the assistance of the intelligence service the families can be target effectively. She also points to the new terrorism laws that make it more easy to use intelligence information in courts. She also blamed Justice minister Donner:

"Each time he says: 'honor killing is horrible and unacceptable', but he does not do anything about it ".

“Parliament just let him get a way with it. I was again surprised how this issue was handled here in recent weeks. About big problems there are so many commissions here, that talk with so many ministers that it is impossible to address the outline of the policies"

"This way it is impossible to verify the governments actions effectively. We all ask our own, fragmented questions, and we are put off with fair words and loads of papers. We are drowning in details of the bureaucracy and accept that. This way, parliament does not function well. In stead of solving problems we have become the problem our selves"

In the interview she also criticizes Islam schools, because they are bad for woman emancipation and indirectly part of the problem. She also blames the Christian party (CDA) for that, because they are dogmatically protecting the freedom of education [every body can start religious schools and receive full government grants].

She also attacked Dutch prime minister Balkenende (CDA) who said while she was in hiding in the US, that The Netherlands was doing better [as in normalized].

Hirsi Ali: “I think that is beside the point. There is somebody murdered for his ideas [Theo van Gogh]. Two parliamentary members can go nowhere [She her selves and Geert Wilders]. This is very serious. If we now going to say things are getting better, I am afraid we are going back to denying reality again. BTW just after he said that, that robbery [See also: Robber Dies] was in Amsterdam and 300 [Moroccan] people where screaming on the streets. The ‘us’ versus ‘them’ feeling showed to be very strong. There is tension between different groups in the population.”

When the reporter says that some people say she is too aggressive and that she has nothing achieved during the two years she in parliament. Hirsi Ali says:

“When I came to parliament I said: I want to put the suppression of Muslim woman on the political agenda. In that I am successful. Every body talks about it. There is a growing public opinion that says: we won’t be silent about it. That is a lot of progress in two years”.

The reporter questions if she reaches the Muslims. Hirsi Ali:

“Certainly. And loud they are. The reaction is mainly defensive, but that is always the case. Change does hurt. And before there is change, there is confusion. The immigrants should free them selves of the victimization culture. The anger I take for granted. A century a go the Dutch feminist had to go trough that as well”.

In opposition of prime minister Balkenende is the socialist (PvdA) leader, Wouter Bos, who said that the country was in state of discomfort and alienation. Ministers like Verdonk (VVD), he says, are also guilty because they talk about Muslims and Dutch as if Muslims are not Dutch. Hirsi Ali:

“No, that is not what Verdonk is doing. What she said is reactive. It are the Muslims them selves who profile them selves as Muslims. Verdonk also said that many Muslims couldn’t handle criticism very well. We should not do to difficult about that either. That is just a fact. What I notice in Wouter Bos is that he has no substance in his arguments. He suggests that Verdonk is to blame for the atmosphere that lead to the murder of Theo van Gogh. With that he denies the role of the socialist had in it for the past 30 years. That is not only cheap populist rhetoric but also a lack of self-reflection. In that we won’t follow him.”

In her own party some criticize Hirsi Ali because they say, it is not liberal how she involves her self in the religion of others. Hirsi Ali:

“There is only one answer possible: they started, not me. If religious people involve them selves with public life, and base their public behavior on their religion, it is the task of a liberal to show the limits of religion. I fight for freedom. That is very liberal. Liberalism, the urge of humans for freedom has triumphed over some extremist features of Christianity and Judaism, communism and Nazism. Now Islamism. In the end, every individual strives for freedom and prosperity. This is the reason why we will win this fight. There is only, still some effort needed”.

This interview got a lot of attention of Dutch media. The leftist press, saw it coming: Hirsi Ali is going over the top at made a big point about her request of using the intelligence service to fight honor killings.

Donner reacted on Dutch radio and said that honor killings are not terrorism but a "regular crimes". He does not want to use the new terrorism laws against it. Also the national police coordinator for honor killings, W. Timmer, says he sees nothing in the plans of Hirsi Ali. The intelligence services have an other purpose. "I never had to use that source", Timmer said during a meeting with parliamentary members.

After all media attention on this affair, the tone was set for the parliamentary commission; the parliamentary representatives questioned Donner about his policies. But they where not satisfied. None of them. Minister Donner and Verdonk refused to execute a parliamentary request of last year, in which extra measures against honor killings where requested. The parliamentary members where not satisfied and requested a special emergency debate in parliament. Hiris Ali asked her liberal party for a denunciation of minister Donner because he did not take the matter seriously.

Again the press saw their change to go after Hirsi Ali. The press said, that other liberal members also thought she was going to far and they called her a loose cannon. And in deed the party did not give the official denunciation. But that was only because Donner in a special emergency debate in parliament promise better (although the liberal (VVD) leadership had to work hard in the background).

In the debate, parliament was unanimous, Donner had to do something now. Donner said it was all a miss understanding, he said that due to a lack of time he had not yet executed the parliamentary request. He promised to come very soon with protective measures for immigrant woman who are fear to become a victim of an honor killing.

All in all, Hirsi Ali, was quite effective in putting pressure on Donner and bring the story to the public. But within the liberal party (VVD) not everybody agrees on Hirsi Ali her ideas. They do not accept her independent political operation, which is indeed quite uncommon in Dutch parliament, where strong party discipline normally prevails (Just like in the former soviet union). Others object, that Hirsi Ali makes the liberal party (VVD) look anti Islamic and that it self is anti liberal, they say. But others seem to be just old fashioned jealous and mask that with all kind of arguments.

See also:
Woman will kill Hirsi Ali
2/11 and the movie makers
Islam & Socialism
Where lives Hirsi Ali?
Hirsi Ali is back!

Other bloggers:
Rant Wraith - Are 'Honor Killlings' Terrorism?

Source: nu, ayaanhirsiali.web-log.nl, Volkskrant

Frontline on Eurabia

2005-02-11T17:00:00.000+01:00

The PBS Frontline documentary about "Al Qaeda's New Front" in Europe can now be viewed on-line. Their website offers a overview of the Jihad in Europe:

Why European Muslims are becoming radicalized; why Americans should be concerned.
An analysis by a former CIA operative of Al Qaeda's post-9/11 changes - and their implications
A country-by-country overview of Western Europe's situation, including the major terror plots and arrests (Netherlands)
European v. U.S. strategies on terrorism, cross-border and cyber security, terrorist financing, and more

View PBS documentary HERE
( about The murder of Theo van Gogh, train bombing in Madrid and the many arrests made in Europe).

H/T: Court

Extremism caused by media

2005-02-10T08:00:00.000+01:00

The first time since the murder on Theo van Gogh, the head of the Dutch intelligence serviceAIVD, Sybrand van Hulst, gave an interview. In the interview he criticizes the way the Dutch discuss about Muslims.

In the interview, in a documentary about the radical Islam, Van Hulst says that Muslim youth is radicalizing because of the sharp debate in The Netherlands.

“I think that we should realize that the way that we sometimes agitate in an extreme way against Islam makes it more likely that people who are already unstable will go in the direction of radicalism than moderate their opinions"

According to Van Hulst, about 5% of the Moroccan’s, about 15.000 people, are open to Islamic radicalism. But many experts hold this as the most optimistic number, many say it is rather 15% (45.000 Moroccans). Van Hulst further claims than the group who is actually radicalized is much smaller, only around 1000 people (it is unknown how he came to this number).

Don’t think that Van Hulst is the only one in the Netherlands who thinks like that. In the Dutch political elite, more people think this way. Just yesterday the Queen, who is still the head of the government, was praised and received an honorary doctorate from the Leiden University for her support of ‘freedom with responsibility’. Some think that freedom is misused to insult Muslims.

Van Hulst and his ideas must have strong backing because his leadership at the service did not bring very impressive results. Just to name a few incidents in recent years:

The infiltration of the service by Muslim extremists (See story: here)
Failed to provide enough information to the police team that arrested terrorist Jason Walters. Several police officers where wounded by hand grenades (See story: here).
European intelligence reports indicated to the service of a coming murder on an European criticizer of the Islam. The AIVD did ignore that information. It failed to make a risk assessment that lead to the protection of people like Theo van Gogh. Although many people in the Netherlands knew he was in danger.
Mohammed Bouyeri the murder of Theo van Gogh, was seen by the service as an unimportant member of the Hofstad terror group. Two weeks before the murder on Theo van Gogh they stopped monitoring Mohammed. But now they see him as an important member of the Hofstad terror group who wrote a lot of Jihad lecture.
The intelligence service provided the government with risk assessments that indicated that murdered politician Pim Fortuyn did not need protection. Although every body in The Netherlands knew Pim Fortuyn was under threat.
The service never provided information that lead to court sentencing of Islamic terrorist.
In a scandal around the royal family, it showed that the Royal family could give direct orders to the Dutch intelligence service (AIVD). Without informing the other members of the government.

The intelligence service is also working internationally. The Dutch AIVD has good relations with Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. The Netherlands gave Indonesia 7 million Euro for the financing of the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation. The Dutch intelligence service provides counter terrorism training in Semarang (Java) to Indonesian officers. They are planning to do the same in Saudi Arabia and are still thinking about doing the same in Algeria.

See also:
Dutch Muslims in Iraq
The Secret Service Mole
Gaos at Secret service
0605: Political Murder explained
Royal support for Muslims
Warnings of militancy ignored

Other sites:
Reuters Alertnet - Netherlands home to 1,000 Muslim radicals-spy head
National Review Online - The corner (Andrew Stuttaford)

Sources: Documentry, NOS

Terrorist at university

2005-02-10T07:00:00.000+01:00

Het Leidsch dagblad a local newspaper brings the story that Jason Walters (See: American Jihad in Holland) has studied at the Leiden University. But the university wants to keep that fact away from the press and has forbidden everybody to talk about “individual students”. “Meaning Jason W.” says an Arabist of the Leiden University, who wants to stay anonymous.

The Arabist says, “Islamic students at the Leiden University are radicalizing”. He says that he “for years has the idea that there his something strange going on under the students”. He hears the same from other teachers. It is said that Jason Walters, a member of the Hofstad terror group, has spread a radical Islamic book on the University.

He says that the radicalization at Leiden is worse than at other Universities in The Netherlands. “During colleges it is sometimes hard to make the difference between asking questions and frustrating the lesson. These people have religiously a very high blood pressure. It goes to far to say that they are obstructing the lessons, but I notice the endless questions if we talk about the Wahabit sect out of Saudi Arabia. That is not reasonable any more. After a while I have to say: ‘read your literature, I will continue with the lesson’”

Jason Walters would have spread the book: “Imaan en Kufr” (believe and unbeliever) on the university. The book calls for the rejection of the infidel authority. They should not obey parliament or judges. Muslims should show “detachment, enmity and hate” to the unbelievers. “The suppression and humiliation of the Kufaar [unbeliever] is loved by Allah”. Apostates have “no right on security”.

A spokes person of the Leiden University says “they have no indication that shows that the books is distributed”. He says Jason Walters hardly has been in Leiden in the two months between the start of his study and his arrest.

In the past there have circulated also radical pamphlets on the university. Around 2000 students of the Islamic university Rotterdam distributed a glossy magazine “Expliciet” [Explicit] under students. The creators of the magazine possible had connections with the fundamentalist “Hizb al-Tahrir” [Freedom party]. In the September issue of the magazine could be read: “Democracy is a lie”. The redaction of “Expliciet” wanted to distribute the magazine for free under ‘intellectuals’ and sell it in Mosques and multi cultural centers.

Source: Leidsch Dagblad

Army needed in Amsterdam

2005-02-09T21:00:00.000+01:00

The head of the Amsterdam Police, Welten, wants the army to assist in the guarding of building.

He has asked interior minister Remkes (VVD) to get assistance of the army. The police of Amsterdam is now guarding 125 building in the capital. They have spend in 2004 twice as much hours on guarding object then they did in 2003. Welten is afraid that their normal police work is under threat.

That is strange, I just saw on television, that the Amsterdam police was ticketing people for not having light or their bike. Apparently they still have time for real 'crimes' ...

Source: Telegraaf

Dutch Muslims in Iraq

2005-02-09T19:00:00.000+01:00

Earlier this week, it was reported that a Dutch Jihad letter that going round on in radical circles. The letter would have been originally been written in Arabic by a person named Fatima who was detained in the Abu Graib prison. And writes about public rapes, burnings of Koran's, etc. It is said that two boys; a converted Dutch boy and a boy from Surinam (Former Dutch colony) went to Iraq because of the letter. The letter together with support for the detained Jihadies and other Jihad lecture can be found on MSN chat group "nlboeken".

The Dutch intelligence office now says that they closely monitor Dutch Muslims who go to Iraq to fight the Americans. The intelligence office even follows them into Iraq they say.

"We monitor together with foreign intelligence offices, what these Dutch people do in Iraq", says a spokesman of the AIVD. According to the service there are some Dutch Muslim extremist in Iraq. "They are going to Iraq to join the fight or for training. There is a risk for The Netherlands. If they return, there is a risk that they continue the Jihad". According to experts, the Dutch in Iraq will be instructed to conduct terror attacks in The Netherlands. "That risk we take serious", says the AIVD spokes person.

Recently the French arrested a French Muslim network in Paris and Iraq. This network operating from Paris, was sending extremist to Iraq and was planning attacks in France. In Paris they arrested 3 suspects, one of them was the spiritual leader of the group. Three other Muslims of the same group are arrested in Iraq.

How strange that they monitor terrorist, but don't stop them...

Source: Algemeen Dagblad , Volkskrant, The letter (Lieve Fatima)

Politics and terror

2005-02-09T10:00:00.000+01:00

Today parliament was debating government proposals to fight terrorism. The proposals discussed are intentions to develop new anti terrorism laws and did not include law proposals it self. It is expected that these law proposals will not be ready before the end of the year or early next year.

The proposals are the result of the terror attack on Theo van Gogh. Dutch politics was surprised by the attack and now four years after 9-11 they are still debating how to handle the problems with the Islamic insurgents. The whole debate was live on national television, probably to show the Dutch how seriously they take the situation.

But do they take it seriously? Not enough according to Geert Wilders, the Dutch parliamentary member who seems to be The Netherlands sole neo-conservative representative. Although the prefix “neo” is not needed, because there are no other conservative parliamentary members.

Wilders calls the proposals of the government, “paper measures” and questions the government’s practical actions. He says that there is not a single mosque closed and not a single website. “There has happened nothing since November [assassination Theo van Gogh]”. He points out that paper plans are not the solution, it is all about execution and producing real results.

Wilders was also critical about Donner, the Justice minister. And he referred to a statement of an other minister. Remkes the interior minister has said last year that there are 25 radical mosques in The Netherlands. Wilders now complains, why not even one of them is closed.

Wilders: “Remkes said there are 25 radical mosques”
Donner: “There are at this moment no mosques we can prosecute”
Donner: “That is a success”

Wilders: “Close these hate palaces!”
Donner: “The goal is not closures, but combating extremism, if that can be done without closure that is much better”.

Apparently Donner sees incompetence to act to extremists as a success. How sad.

Not that his Christian party (CDA) was today the most naive political party in parliament, unlike Donner, there seems to be forces in the parties rightwing, that wants tougher measures against extremists. Today the leftwing of the Christians (CDA) was silent when party leader Maxime Verhagen spoke about thousands of radicals and said that he wanted to stop also the non-violent political Islam (Dawa).

Maybe he was referring to the recent launched Islamist party that expressed the intention to run in local elections. Cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Den Haag soon will have Islamic majorities. But the social liberal D66 reacted angry on his proposal to forbid the political Islam in The Netherlands, in their eyes that would mean: dictator ship. Would they mean, the dictator ship of democracy? Well I don’t know.

But don’t think the Christian party (CDA) see Muslims as an insurmountable danger. They think the Islam is a cultural source, which we should try to embed in Europe. We should go to a European Islam. By saying that, they implicitly seem to say, that the now existing Islam is a danger and that they hope it will transform. But will that happen in the near future? The Christians seem to hold the protection of religion still more important then the dangers that an other religion, the Islam, holds for The Netherlands.

The debate seems to be a big demonstration that Dutch parliamentary members, are still not aware of the urgency of the situation. They all speak about that there should be done something, they all want more government action, but they refuse to accept the consequences of it. This is well illustrated by a reaction of Boris Dittrich of the social liberal D66 party when he addresses Wilders:

Dittrich: “You want the interment of people, like it is war. I am against that!”

Also liberal party (VVD) leader Van Aartsen, who is not satisfied with the results the government producing, does not accept the consequences. The AIVD is monitoring 150 Islamic radicals, at the time they did not include Mohammed Bouyeri on this monitoring list of 150, because he was not radical enough (Mohammed Bouyeri is the murderer of Theo van Gogh). When Wilders asked him, if the 150 radical Islamists under surveillance should be preventively detained, Van Aartsen says he thinks there are more than 150 but that he does not want to go that road. When Wilders answers that these extremist will not be harmed by the proposed measures, he answers:

“You don’t drive us crazy”

Van Aartsen says he thinks that Mohammed Bouyeri would not have killed Theo van Gogh, if he had to report to the police on a regular schedule (one of the government proposals). That sounds a bit naive if you ask me… But that is not all: the liberals (VVD) and socialist (PvdA) both said that anti discrimination measures are key in fighting terrorism. That does sound even more naïve…

The Socialist (PvdA) said they did not oppose the proposed measures, but didn't wanted at this moment to express their support either. But they did complain that the government does to little to start the dialog with the moderated forces in the Islamic world. The government should also make alliances with moderated Islamic forces.

And what to think of Wouter Bos the party leader of the socialists (PvdA), when he said that the extremist of today, may bee not seen as moderates in the future. That sounds pretty scary don’t you think?

But the more extreme leftwing parties are even worse. The Greens (Groenlinks) argued that it is an expression of freedom of speech as young Islamic youth on websites expressed their support for Jihaad. They argue that many youth, just do that to impress each other and that, they say, has nothing to do with a call for Jihad. They further complained that wearing Islamic clothing and growing beards should not be used to identify radicals. They are afraid of stigmatizing Islamic youth.

The left maybe very naïf, the mainstream parties are no less. They all still think they can find ways to include the “moderated Islam” and think that they should use the dialog and other soft measures to reach out to the radicalizing Islamic youth. They totally ignore the street violence coming of these groups.

The communist (SP), thinks also that preventive measures are the solution against extremism: abolishment of black and white schools, anti discrimination measures, spreading [Islamic] immigrants over white areas. They also think the verbal support for Jihad attacks are a part of the freedom of expression. And say that Muslims are world wide daily offended by the Palestinian conflict and Iraq.

It seems that Wilders is right, only an other attack will change the minds of these naïve politicians.

See also:
New anti terrorist measures
Government goes over board
Islam & Socialism

Other blogs:
Sered - Trias Politica polluted

Carefully with Robbers!

2005-02-08T21:00:00.000+01:00

Card inspectors of a bus company caught a guy (19) that did not want to pay for the fare. But it turns out that this guy is very aggressive and starts to fight. What can you do as a card inspector? You grab the thug with three of your colleagues. If he keeps fighting, just keep him more tight, so he can't move an inch. But be carefully, that can be very dangerous in The Netherlands!

The aggressive thug, turns out to be a street robber, with the loot still on him. An aggressive fellow like that, you just might need to hold very tight, too tight. That's what happened when the 53 year old card inspector tried to control the robber. The robber, fainted.

Guess what happened next: the police directly arrested the 53 year old card inspector and brought the criminal to the hospital for observation. The police now wants to charge the card inspector for excessive violence.

Police in The Netherlands do not solve many crimes, so most people do not even bother to report crimes, unless they need it for their insurance claim. But the Police and Justice departments are very keen to arrest and prosecute civilians who are to aggressive to criminals. They say, they will not allow it, that people take the law in their own hands. It's amazing, how twisted these guys are. They prosecutors website shows a long list of court cases against victims of crimes.

My tip: When you're a victim of a crime or violence. Restrain your self, take a deep breath, talk to your inner self, think: "don't hurt him, don't hurt him, don't hurt him" and then politely ask him why he is so angry on society.

See also: Robber dies

Dhimmitude at Its Finest

2005-02-07T19:00:00.000+01:00

The Rotterdam International Film Festival canceled the showing of the Theo Van Gogh/Ayaan Hirsi Ali film Submission because of “security concerns,” but allowed Islamist propaganda films:

ROTTERDAM, February 7 (IslamOnline.net) — Two European films shown at the 34th Rotterdam international film festival caused quite a stir among cinema critics and the audience.

Reason? Presenting anti-western attacks by extremists as a retaliation for the mounting hate and persecution campaigns targeting Muslims in the West in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

An Arab film critic hailed the two movies as “a way more effective than bullets to expose the unjust practices” perpetrated by some Western governments against their Muslim communities.

Read whole story at: Islam online

H/T: Little green footbals

English proficiency test

2005-02-07T11:00:00.000+01:00

The University of Leiden is using an Anti American text to test the English proficiency of its staf.

Read full story here: normblog

H/T: The Woman

The Hofstad terror trial (2)

2005-02-05T19:00:00.000+01:00

This Monday is the first trial day of the Hofstad group, a preliminary pro-forma court hearing and information starts again leaking to the press:

New suspect
Police is now also looking for a man named: Hoessein El J. Possibly his name was found on the Hirsi Ali attack plan (See also: Assassination plan Hirsi Ali and The Hofstad terror trial). Although the plan was found at the work place of Jermaine Walters, it now seems not Jermaine his writing. But the sketch seems to resemble a house next to where Hirsi Ali was staying on November 2nd. The prosecutor office wants to take aerial photos of the location

Al-Qaeda connection
Earlier this week the Moroccan Youssef Belhadj (28), the European leader of Al-Qaeda was arrested in Belgium. Spain says he claimed the Madrid terror attacks of March 11, 2004. A year ago the Belgium's had also arrested him, but had to release him due to a lack of evidence. But sources now say that was a fake claim and that he has been closely monitored since.

Belgium police want to investigate the relation between Youssef and the Hofstad terror group. They have found relations between his group and the Dutch Hofstad group. The phone number of Ismail A. has been found in the Belgium investigation. Also they seem to have a mutual contact: Abdelhamid A., alias Naoufel. He was arrested in Spain for his role in the Casablanca 2003 suicide attacks. The Moroccan authorities say he got help from Belgium cell members. After searches in Belgium the police found a bag that belonged to Naoufel.

In October 2003, Naoufel and Ismael A. of the Hofstad group met to plan a terror attack. That was the reason to arrest Ismael and 4 other members of the Hofstad group. But as reported earlier, they where soon released, due to a lack of evidence.

Nightly training's
NRC news paper, who is very well connected with the Dutch prosecutors department, now reports that on January 14, the AIVD (intelligence service) informed the Justice department about the following:

"The members of the so-called Hofstad group, lead by the Syrian Mohamed Bassem al I. [...] have in the whole country followed physical training, mostly at nigh."

The AIVD added that it was "not determined" how "trustworthy" their source was. The information of the source is "not (yet) verified". Until now it was not yet reported that the Hofstad group trained in The Netherlands. There were only indications that some of the members followed training in Pakistan.

AIVD knew more
The Dutch Intelligence service, AIVD, has provided Hofstad members Jason Walters and Ismaël A. housing. The house in the Antheunisstraat in the crowded Laakkwartier in Denhaag was bugged and then by 'Ed', who worked for a front company of the AIVD, rented to Jason Walters.

The initial police raid on the house in the Antheunisstraat, was a big failure, five police officers got wounded. It looks like they where not well prepared and panicked. Only after a daylong siege, with all available anti terror units the arrest finally took place. The also could have known the violent background of Jason (See also: Chatting with terrorist).

The lawyer
Lawyer V. Koppe works for Britta Bohler her law office that also represents the double agent (See also: The Secret Service Mole). He represents Achmed H. (26) and Samir A. (18) both 'suspected' members of the Hofstad group. Koppe also represented other terrorists in earlier court cases, they where each time released because the prosecution could not deliver the evidence. He now says, that this time he expects the same. If he looks at the evidence, he does not think they can proof the Hofstad organization exists.

Koppe: "Most of the 12 suspects where arrested without a police investigation, due to the sentiments after the murder of Van Gogh, every body around Mohammed B. was arrested. They then searched for evidence, but they did not find it".

He says there is no evidence that supports the claim that a terror organization was planning the murder of parliamentary members, burgomaster Cohen or alderman Aboutaleb. He sees it as a sign that Mohammed B. and his client Samir A. are not yet charged for the membership of the Hofstad terror cell. Although the justice file connects Samir A. with the group, the prosecution does not use that information.

Not that he thinks they are totally innocent: "of course some of the 12 suspects did go to far", he means Jasson and Ismael, who had thrown hand grenades to the police during their arrest.

But Koppe says: "There is now clearly a tendency that it does not matter to occasionally detain an innocent person to reduce every risk of terrorism. They are out of control", Koppe says. "I am not alone in this. I know there are judges, prosecutors and police men who share these ideas".

See also:
The Hofstad terror trial (1)
Assassination plan Hirsi Ali
Chatting with terrorist
The Secret Service Mole

Sources: Utrechts Nieuwsblad, Volkskrant, Telegraaf, Telegraaf (2)

Woman will kill Hirsi Ali

2005-02-05T10:00:00.001+01:00

Three woman, Fatima, Naima and Khadisja who say they are part of the Hofstad terror network, which they call a friends club, have given an interview in Dutch newspaper "De Volkskrant". They do not use their real names because, they do not want to be recognized by their parents, who do not accept their ideas, they say. One of the woman, Naima, is the wife of Hofstad terror group member Mohammed el M. who is now in detention.

They say Ayaan Hirsi Ali will be murdered by a woman. They did not decide this for tactical reasons. Also for a woman it will be very difficult to come near the heavily guarded Hirsi Ali.

"If Hirsi Ali is murdered by a woman that will have a much bigger impact" says Naima. She also says that the sisters are patient. "even if it will take ten years". But [to avoid prosecution]Fatima, Naima and Kadisja say that they themselves are not prepared to use violence when they are inside The Netherlands. This does not mean that Hirsi Ali is not in danger. Because even if Hirsi Ali would give up and disappear from the media it's still "to late" for her. "She will not escape her punishment: death", says one of the three.

The security of Hirsi Ali knows about the female Muslim threat. Shortly after the murder of Theo van Gogh, a young Muslim woman came to parliament with a book called "The True Muslim" which she wanted to discuss with Hirsi Ali. That book, a call to Jihad, is written by Abu Zubair an pseudonym of Mohammed Bouyeri, the murderer of Theo van Gogh. She left the book and her phone number at the security. At that time Hirsi Ali could not yet know about who wrote the book.

The Dutch intelligence service (AIVD) says they do not give statements about the gender of the 150 radical Muslims they have under surveillance. But they say, they have indications of a growing group of female Muslims who are radicalized.

The three Muslim ladies say, they have joined an other group with the same ideas as the Hofstad group. Naima, is approached by an other 'brother' who has promised financial support. A courier, age 11, brought her money, a laptop and a phone. The 'brothers' operate from Amsterdam and other cities.

See also:
The Hofstad terror trial
Hirsi Ali in court
Spanish prize for Hirsi Ali
Hirsi Ali Receives Emancipation Prize

Source: De Volkskrant, NOS

Ali B is the House!

2005-02-05T10:00:00.000+01:00

Ali B is a very popular Moroccan rapper who sings his lyrics in Dutch. He is to be seen every where, no charity party without Ali B! Madame Tussauds already made a wax statue from him. Although to me he does not seem musically very gifted, it rains prices for Ali B. Hey he even shared the stage with our to be queen Maxima. That made it official: he is the ultimate expression of the hopes of the multiculturallists.

But nobody seems to notice who Ali B really is. Years back he said angrily in an interview: "for me their counts only one thing: ISLAM, ISLAM, ISLAM". But that is all the past, he has changed they say. Just as he does not terrorize his neighbor hood any more with his two pit bull fight dogs. But why was he singing on that War child concert only about "Chechen, Palestine, Kashmir" and did not mention other area's? But in The Netherlands not many ask them selves this question.

Although it did him no good, when he went to commemoration of the robber, that died during his robbery (See: robber Dies story). Initially he said, he would make a song about it, but his commercial aware team, made him think twice and said he was miss quoted. He never had the intention of making a song in support of the died robber.

But now Ali B, the multiculturallists darling, has a theater show. His show is sold out and the children are estatic. When he open his show he said:

"Did you know that Robin Hood was a Moroccan? And that his real name was Robin Abdellahoed? No of course not, that they never told".

And then suddenly he says:

"Actually Robin Hood was a dirty, ugly, greedy thief"

"But why was he be loved by the people unlike others? I don't understand."

Then a child screams:

"Because Robin Hood did gave it all to the poor and did not keep it for him self".

For a moment the rapper seems not to know what to say, but then a big smile appears on his face and he says:

"We also give to the poor".

But lets forgive him and buy his latest hit: "I am fed up with you". A rap lyric in which he complains that his girl does not want to stay at home, but rather want to chill in the bar where she acts like a "silly slut".

US counter terrorism head warns

2005-02-04T23:30:00.000+01:00

The United States has definite evidence that terrorist organisations are trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction. The acting director of counter terrorism at the US State Department, William Pope, has confirmed this to Radio Netherlands [short wave, world radio]. He declined to give any specifics. But he did say that Europe could face the prospect of a terrorist attack much worse than that in Madrid, one that could hit an entire city.

A spokesperson for the Dutch intelligence service, the AIVD, said they do not have any evidence that terrorist groups are already in possession of such weapons. She added, however, that it was clear these groups were interested in acquiring them.

(Source: Radio Netherlands 4 February 2005, www.rnw.nl)
H/T: intel.web-log.nl

Cars being shot at

2005-02-04T23:00:00.000+01:00

Police is investigating highway shootings. Since January 27, six car windows have been mysteriously broken. In three cases on a highway near Amsterdam police assume that the damage was done by an air-gun.

There have been more reports on unusual apparently random violence. Just recently a group of young men was arrested for causing the dead of a driver. They had thrown stone through the windshield of a woman who was driving in her car on the highway. And in the city of Alkmaar a group of boys had over a period of several weeks randomly stabbed many people. As police refuses to report the background of the suspects, it is hard to say for certain that these are acts of Jihad:

Random Violence?
Meaningless violence

(There are more reports in Dutch media)

Source: Telegraaf

First Speech Geert Wilders

2005-02-04T21:00:00.000+01:00

Representative wilders, under threat by Islamist who wants him dead, gave his first public speech since the murder on Theo van Gogh. He spoke to 50 businessmen in the city of Rotterdam, the city that made Pim Fortuyn. MSM calls him right wing, extreme and radical. But he is just a moderate conservative, with a lot of potential for the Netherlands.

Judge for your self. The speech gives a good view on Dutch situation:

Rotterdam January 31, 2005

Ladies and Gentleman,

I would like to thank you, for letting me speak here. This is my first speech in The Netherlands since the murder of Theo van Gogh. I consider it an honor to make my comeback here in Rotterdam together with you.

I want to use tonight’s speech here, to tell you about my plans for my political movement and most of all, my plans for this nation. The coming months I will go public with more ideas and gradual transform from an independent representative to a large public movement.

I will not speak lengthy and at the end you can ask questions. I’m curious to hear from you what your ideas are about the future of The Netherlands and how we all can make sure we leave a better Netherlands for our children.

It has not been an easy time since I left the Liberal party (VVD).

Of course I already was a maverick liberal. Last year I published together with my former colleague Oplaat my ten-point plan. The essence of that plan was that the liberal party (VVD) was to left wing. Leading liberals even want to unite with social-liberals (D66) and socialists (PvdA). Now I left the liberal party (VVD), this seems a good idea to me. The liberal party (VVD) is a very purple party [*1]. All major parties in parliament are one of a kind. Let them all merge together.

In the 90’s we thought we where on holiday from History. As if we where done. But September 11th acted for many as a wake up call. Long before 2001, I had already warned against the radical Islam, but the government ignored all warnings.

The Netherlands slept quietly further. The elite refused to see the dangers that threatened us. Also the murder of Theo van Gogh did not bring the moral clarity we need at this moment. Our elite keeps on speaking non-sense about how we should start the dialog. Drinking tea as a remedy against terror. It’s nice that TV-shows like ‘around ten’ (Rond om tien) are full with reasonable and good educated immigrants, reality is, that 90% of the Moroccan people in The Netherlands only watch Moroccan TV channels. The gospel of the dialog does not reach them.

Now is the moment to act. It will soon be spring, time for spring-cleaning. I do not make a difference between terror against the state and terror on the streets. Who on the street (lijnbaan) prevents that medical rescue service workers can do their work [More info: here], should just be arrested. Is such a person a holder of a foreign passport, makes it easier. Because this person can be send quickly out of the country. Every week airplanes arrive at Schiphol airport coming from Turkey and Morocco with new immigrants with no perspectives. It would be good if the return flights also had some passengers.

Terrorism is not something you solve with a orange bracelet [*2] or a binding day [*3]. We should give all we have to protect our families.

The government comes with new paper plans, but in the mean time they do practically nothing. There is not a single radical mosque closed, not a single radical imam evicted from the country and not even one of the hundred and fifty terrorists under surveillance by the intelligence service is caught. With intentions and laws only, you will not solve the problem of the radical Islam. What this country needs, are politicians with guts that dare to stick their neck out and act when needed. Regarding the war on terror the gentleman [justice minister] Donner, [Domestic affairs minister] Remkes and [prime minister] Balkenende, bark but don’t bite.

Last week the trial against Mohammed B. [murderer of Theo van Gogh] started. A letter written by him illustrates what kind of emergency we are in. B. hoped that it would not take much longer “before the knights of Allah will march into the Binnenhof [parliament] and in the middle of the square will rise the flag of the Tawheed. The parliament will be renamed Sharia-court and the chairman’s hammer will confirm the Islamic judgments. Out of the tower of Kok [room of prime minister] will sound the praises for Allah.

I often hear a lot of nonsense coming from that tower, but I must say: rather Balkenende than Allah.

My stand on Islam and integration [of immigrants in Dutch society] is well known. Today I also want to talk with you about the economy and Europe. Two important subjects for the time to come.

It’s time for a fresh start for the Netherlands. The re-birth has not only to do with the current war that is going on, but also with the economy. The Netherlands is not doing well. We are satisfied. We have fallen a sleep. There is a slump. We are satisfied with a growth figure between 1% and 1.5%. Our competitive position has eroded. The welfare state becomes too expensive and the pensions are under pressure. Meanwhile China is ready to take over.

This is thus the time to focus more on business. The Netherlands should come in motion again. The Netherlands should get up to speed. What should happen is that our businesses get opportunities to grow. Now the government consumes more than half of our gross national product. Joe average must pay from his salary to many civil servants, to much red tape and squander. And his boss looses even more on useless rules and taxes.

I like to quote Thatcher: “it’s not governments that create jobs, businesses do”

If businesses and people are allowed to keep more money for them selves, then there stays more money to spend and invest. That will create jobs. Thus the government should be smaller, much smaller. And taxes should be lower, much lower. That means less civil servants, less money to the European technocrats and less to development aid.

Between the year 2000 and 2003 the number of civil servants of the local governments grew with nearly 30.000 to a total of 250.000 [on a population of 16 million], and that in a time when jobs at businesses shrink with 1%. We can do without the company of tens of thousands of these civil servants.

With them a third of all our working people in The Netherlands work as a civil servant, that means: nearly not economically productive.
And their salaries don’t get lower, on the contrary. In 2003 the top municipality officials saw their salary rise with 16.2 %. Note, this was in just one year.

Also the welfare state keeps getting more expensive. The Netherlands: as land of plenty. The growth of the WAO [disability benefits] has stopped, but a real decay is still not there. Good social benefits are important, especially if it involves a decent AOW [old age benefits], but a million disabled means there is large scale misuse. When I recently visited the U.S. and told business people that we had 1 million disabled people and that 1 out for 4 people with an age between 15 and 65 is inactive, they asked me if an epidemic had struck our country.

An expanding government is hanging as a drunken man on the neck of our hard working citizens. Growing numbers of bureaucrats, produce a growing number of rules that together cost us more and more. That has to stop. I want to take a stand to change this and choose. Choose for more room for businesses and people in this country and choose for a small government that redraws from unnecessary tasks and concentrates on its main objectives: safety, education and infrastructure. That means choosing to build roads and not to accept the mileage tax. I was just like you shocked when I heard that my colleague Hofstra of the liberal party (VVD) co-signed a proposal of the socialists (PvdA) that asked the government to implement the mileage tax soon.

Main objective of the Group Wilders the coming months is the battle of the referendum. U might know it: in June you may vote before or against the European constitution.

In a way it is good that you finally get an opportunity to voice your opinion directly. The Dutch population is never asked something about the European ‘fusion’. That ‘fusion’ is presented by the political parties elites (CDA, PvdA, VVD, in front) as a natural phenomenon. According to these vested parties, the European ‘fusion’ is an ‘inevitable’ fact, a train that left the station and can’t be stopped anymore. Every European treaty is without worthwhile discussion approved, no European proposal goes our leaders to far.

As a representative I judge all proposals on their merits. If something is in the interest of the Netherlands we should do it, but if it is not, we shouldn’t do it. That’s the way a representative should act: Always in the Dutch national interest. Objective and well considered. Not join none-sense because Brussel [EU headquarter] wants it so badly.

Was the abolishment of the Guilder [Dutch Currency] in the Dutch interest? The price rises caused by the euro? Denhaag gives our monetary and fiscal policies away to anonymous bureaucrats in Frankfurt. Is that really smart? France and Italy break the stability pact, the Greeks and Italians haggled when joining and the German chancellor Schroeder what’s to stretch the criteria even further.

Is it in our national interest to have a joined European refugee policy? Not being allowed to guard our borders? Is it in our national interest to be one of EU largest net contributors?

Is it in our national interest to admit more new, poor countries like Bulgaria and Romania to the union? Strangely these questions are never debated in Den Haag [Dutch parliament]. And now the political elite wants to admin Turkey to the union, a Islamic land of millions, that will have an enormous influence on the federal super state. Because of the new European constitution, Turkey will have more influence on Dutch legislation than The Netherlands it self. It can’t become crazier than this.

A considerable amount of our legislation is already coming from Brussel, most Dutch civil servants carry out European law. European laws and rules now consist of 100.000 pages. Each year that grows with a few thousand new rules. Europe is out of control. Europe is not owned by its citizens but owned by the bureaucrats in Brussel.

The European constitution abolishes the primary principle of sovereign and political independent democratic member states. Both legally as politically The Netherlands will become a province in the European super state. And do you know what socialist (PvdA) spokes person Witteveen, a big supporter of the European constitution, said in the senate during the debate over the EU referendum? He said: “The development of the EU go with little steps, often over obscure dark winding paths, but has now reached the point of no return: Dutch citizens no longer live in a sovereign nation state, the independent kingdom of The Netherlands …”. I could not have said it better than this socialist did. But in contrast to the PvdA, the CDA and the VVD, I will not accept this sell out.

If the new European constitution is accepted, more often decisions will be made by majority rule. The Netherlands looses its veto. We will lose as many as 63 veto rights. Countries with more citizens will get more influence. A country like Turkey with it’s enormous population will have more influence then the small Netherlands. Now there live 68 million people in Turkey. In 2020 there will be 83 million.

Thus the difference gets bigger and with that, Dutch influence gets smaller. Thus, the more Turks there come, the less we have to say about our own country. I hope you will go to the ballot and vote against the European constitution. This way you contribute to make The Netherlands independent again. The elite in Brussel will be disappointed next June.

The Groep Wilders will transform the coming year to a broad movement. In these times of slum, I come with a message of hope and optimism. I think The Netherlands can do better. I think our best days are still ahead. I think there is no reason for pessimism, simple because we have confronted bigger problems in the past. Look around you, and see what the Dutch together have buildup. These same Dutch should be afraid for the challenges ahead? I don’t think so.

Maybe you have heart that Groep Wilders is an one issue movement, a club that has only one topic.

They are right.

Our issue is freedom. I put freedom central. The freedom that your mother can go out in the evenings, the freedom that your grant children are not forced to wear a head scarf, the freedom that you can spend your income on your family, the freedom to say what you want, the freedom you have because your government protects your family against terrorists, the freedom to have a job and a pleasant live, the freedom as a country to decide for our selves independently.

Since today we can add an other freedom to this list: the freedom as a Dutch to wear the Dutch flag. For example on your school bag, as the boys in IJselstijn wanted but where not allowed by their school direction, because it would provoke Moroccan students [See also: Dutch Flag prohibited]

Freedom is the central idea. Now organizing it.

In the months after I left the liberal party (VVD), I received tens of thousands of mails. A large part of the messages had a clear message: Geert please continue, but please not a second Lijst Pim Fortuyn (LPF). [*4].

I have taken this at hearth.

To start with, we make full use of the element of time. Professor Fortuyn had only a few weeks to organize. That did not work out. We let our self advise and assist by professionals. That must result in a faction that is unanimous. Solid people who together form a cohesive team.

Our administration is in professional hands, to make sure there is never any doubt about the financial management.

Our organization slowly emerges, with all cost involved. Later we also need extra money for a national election campaign. The existing political parties have doubled their government grants from 7 million in 2001 to 15 million euro in 2004. This way the taxpayer has to pay for commercials the Dutch elite parties make for them selves.

My new party has not yet run in parliamentary elections and that is why it not eligible to claim government grants. That means that I have to organize my finances my self.

But that is not something we are unhappy about. We are not a party that lives of the taxpayer’s money, needlessly parasite ting on the public treasury. We are a citizen’s movement: free people who make their own choices and who are not on addicted to government money.

My call for donation I made last year, resulted in many reactions. Often these are small amounts of individuals. Sometimes someone sends a small message with it. For example a woman who says that she can not give more than 10 euro. But she add’s “Mister Wilders, you have to know that you can always come into hiding at my home”. Reactions like these get me through these cold times.

Al small donations are welcome. Because they show that this is a citizens movement.

I have enormous energy to create something great. I hope, together with you.

Ladies and gentleman, thank you for your attention.

Bank account: 67.04.72.344 (Stichting Groep Wilders te Den Haag)

Notes:

1) Purple is the color that is often used to refer to the political combination of socialist, social-liberals and liberals. A combination that ruled the country for eight years prior to the political revolution and uprising that was lead by Pim Fortuyn.

2) After the murder on Theo van Gogh an action was organized for more mutual respect. As a show of support people can where a orange bracelet. The Prime Minister Balkenende was impressed by the idea and bought bracelets for all his ministers. Orange is also the color of the royal Queen.

3) Each year on the 5th of May, we commemorate our freedom as this is the day we got liberated by the allied forces from the German occupation. But in recent years, they wanted to commemorate on that day other freedom struggles as well. And this year the government has renamed it “binding day”. The opposite of freedom, to express that Islamic people are also part of the communion.

4) The Lijst Pim Fortuyn won the elections. But after Pim Fortuyn was executed the decapitated party did not do very well. The representatives where only selected a few months before the elections and where inexperienced. With a hostile media and hostile parliament they where shuttled into the executive branch. After 6 month’s the VVD pulled the plug out of the government and elections where held.

See also:
USA loves Wilders
Evidence of political intimidation
Donner: Wilders is safe if he stops
Wilders: Minister Donner lies
Democracy is DEAD
Wilders: IT's WAR
Work sentence for death threat Wilders
Wilders, the new Fortuyn?
Warning for Wilders supporters
Wilders receives daily death threats
Dutch Socialist about Wilders

Other sites:
Washington Post - Anti-Islamic Polemic Comes With a Price

Sources: Website Geert Wilders, AD

The Hofstad terror trial

2005-02-03T23:00:00.001+01:00

The Hofstad terrorist group trial will start coming Monday. The group has at least 15 members, 12 of them will be prosecuted. Police are still searching for two other members.

Redouan al-Issar (43)
Redouan is also known as "The Syrian" or "Abu Khaled", is still missing. Police is not even sure of his name, they only know that he lived in Germany and was there involved in drug trafficking.

Nourredine el F.
He is also still missing. Two female Hofstad members, who are in custody, say that he is "just" in Morocco in the city where he is born.

Mohammed B.
He is the killer of Theo van Gogh. He is the 15th member of the group according to the subpoena of the 12 other members.

All member are suspected of the same charges:

Membership of a terrorist organization with the intention to murder people
Threatening people
Obstructing parliamentary members Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Geert Wilders to attend parliamentary meetings
Illegal possession of firearms or otherwise knowing others had.

According to the prosecution the following persons where on their hit list:

Representative Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Representative Geert Wilders
Theo van Gogh
Amsterdam Major Job Cohen
Amsterdam alderman Ahmed Aboutaleb

In chat sessions Jason Walters also named: Navo secretary 'Jaap de Hoop Scheffer', representative and leader of Lijst Pim Foruyn 'Mat Herben', finance minister 'Zalm' and prime minister 'Balkenende'. But Justice said they don't take that seriously and say that Jason Walters was just bragging. But parliamentary members want to know before tomorrow, why the involved parliamentary members where not informed (See also: Chatting with terrorists)

One of the Hofstad members could not be charged as an adult. Jassons younger brother Jermaine Walters reached the age of 18 this January (after his arrest). His lawyer, C. Starmans, says it is not certain that he will stay suspect. During a search in a bakery where he works they found an "attack plan" for Hirsi Ali. On new years eve she should be murdered, it said. It also contained a drawing of a house. But says the lawyer, after investigation it seems not to be his letter. The drawing does also not look like the house Hirsi Ali stayed at that time (See also: Assassination plan Hirsi Ali)

Other Hofstad related items:
Murder trial Theo van Gogh
Justice dossier assassination Van Gogh
The prosecution of Mohammed B.
The Secret Service Mole
Gaos at Secret service
American Jihad in Holland
Van Gogh murder leads to Belgium

Source: Trouw

Terror drugs gang (2)

2005-02-03T23:00:00.000+01:00

On January 17, police arrested for the first time in The Netherlands a terrorist cell involved in for drug trafficking. Today the Algemeen Dagblad reported that Imam Hassan L. (41) from the city of Rotterdam was part of the gang.

See here: Terror drugs gang (1)

In 2003 the police also arrested in the city of Geleen, 7 terrorists after receiving information from the central intelligence service (AIVD). Some of these seven people where deported to Spain. And now in the latest raid on January 27, they arrested some of the same terrorist again...

Source: fok

Terrorist suspects sue government

2005-02-03T22:00:00.000+01:00

On Sunday September 26, police raided the house of the Mbarki (A.K.A. M'Barki) family in the Bucheliusstraat in Utrecht. Their son and other relatives had close ties to GICM terrorist suspects. After wire taps the police was searching for explosives. But the police did not find any evidence of the involvement of the family.

The search of their apartment was a bit rough. But after the police left, 'others' trashed the house even further. They invited TV reporters and complained about the damage. But Dutch police say they had nothing to do with it.

Now their lawyer, L. Zegveld, seeks a financial compensation of 100.000 EURO. He says the family has psychological problems after the raid and their subsequent arrest. They receive medical treatment now. He says that it is "scandalous" that the police and prosecutor office refuse to apologize.

MSM speaks about an innocent family. Read more about the background of the raid here:
The Secret Service Mole

Source: Utechts Nieuwsblad, Telegraaf

2/11 and the movie makers

2005-02-03T20:00:00.000+01:00

On 2/11, Theo van Gogh, the film maker was murdered for making the movie Submission together with Ayaan Hirsi Ali (Download here).

But now many ‘intellectuals’ in the Netherlands say that Theo van Gogh was a bit too harsh. The movie he made with Ayaan Hirsi Ali was not constructive enough they say, and it is most important not to insult other people. The word “respect” represents their newfound paradigm, like the respect you need to have for the mafia.

But what is the opinion of Dutch filmmakers? How does the 2/11 murder impact them? In the issue of January 28 of Dutch magazine HP DE TIJD some directors where interviewed (parts I have translated here):

Karim Traidia
Director of “De poolse bruid”

“Unfortunately I have not yet seen Submission yet. But I can understand that people feel offended. It is not only personal, but your whole background is targeted: your parents, grand parents, your whole culture”.

“I do not think it has become impossible to make critical movies about the Islam. You only have to build up the ability to criticize. You should not be to direct. Other wise you will get a direct hit back. My big question is: What is the purpose of your criticism? Criticism is allowed, but for me criticism means, asking questions. But making a joke of thinks or being against some thing does not bring anything. That is aggression.”

Later in the same interview: “Look, the style of Theo and miss Hirsi Ali is not my style. I would do it a very different way: to make the divide smaller and not bigger. Everything can be discussed. It all depends on the way it is done.”

Martin Koolhoven
Director of “Suzie Q”, “AmnesiA”, “De grot”

He says he was shocked and confused after the murder of Van Gogh. He thought: shouldn’t I make my movies more relevant?. At this moment he is making a movie about a Moroccan girl, “Schnitzel paradise”. But he says, it is not a movie of extremes. Not that he thinks that kind of movies shouldn’t be made, but he has come to the conclusion that he has no need for making such a movie at this moment. A polarizing movie would harm the integration process [of Muslims in The Netherlands]. “But I don’t need to worry, simply because I do not have very extreme views”.

Eddy Terstall
Director of "Flirt", "Simon", "Rent a friend", "Hong Kong", "Babylon", ...

“I hope that something will happen under the Dutch film makers”. In society, politics is discussed on the streets. I hope that will also reach the filmmakers. Moviemakers should look around them, and not only concentrate on form or trying to imitate American movies. They should tell in their movies what they see around them.

“When we will get a Dutch ‘Spike Lee’?” Well I hope I am. And in a way Theo van Gogh was also a ‘Spike Lee’. He was one of the few who went to the edge of the city. When I was just filming uptown people. Theo made me understand that there are living more people in The Netherlands, under different circumstances. He was quite unique in that respect.”

Willem van de Sande Bakhuyzen
Director of "Lepel", "Cloaca", "Lost", “Oud geld”, “Bij ons in de Jordaan”, ...

He does not feel an urge to make big statement. He holds his life dear. “I have the impression that the artistic freedom of movie makers is under pressure. I don’t think you can just make a movie about something controversial as the Islam, however balanced you would try to make it. If there should be a message in the movie, [I think] it should be the message of tolerance and mutual understanding”

“I can understand that every body thinks twice before he delivers something controversial. And I find that very disturbing. But really, I hold on to my life too much to be able to direct Submission II. I don’t want to robe my children of their father”.

Paula van der Oest
Director of “Madame Jeanette", "Moonlight", "Always yours for ever", ...

“I found Submission a difficult movie, because it was so arty. It was a very personal and angry movie. I do not know if I would dare to make the successor, I have two small children. I would certainly not make it like the first part. It would be much more mundane. Look, I am against woman suppression, genital mutilation and violence against woman. But this is a worldwide problem. Should we as Dutch filmmakers then have a role in that? That is really not clear to me. I do not want to back out and on a micro level I will do my contribution, but I think that especially people from within (with a Muslim background) can make a bridge between the seemingly insurmountable cultural divide.”

Pieter Verhoeff
Director of “Nynke” , “The Dreams”, "The mark of the Beast”, ...

In the after math of the Murder on Theo van Gogh he finally got financial means to make his long planned movie “Ali and Nino”, a movie about a Muslim boy and Christian girl.

“Submission I found to much a pamphlet. That kind of simplifications is not my cup of tea. Life is much more complicated. If I would make the sequel of Submission, if I would be asked for it?”

“I would not want to do it. I think it is brave of Hirsi Ali to continue with what she thinks is important, but she should think [again] about the tone and form. By the way, it is not out of fear that I don’t want to do it. Although I think one should be careful not to drive a large segment of the population in the corner. That does bring any good for the future.

Mijke de Jong
Director of “Blue Bird”, “Dolle Zina”, "Uitgesloten", “Ik ben Willem”, ...

If Hirsi Ali would call me for the next part of Submission, I would sight deeply. Of course I would be afraid, but I would certainly want to talk about it. I do not always agree with her, but I am happy she is back (and dares to open her mouth).

The movie “Dolle Zina”, was also about Islamic women. I was very careful not to upset Muslim sensitivities. But even then, my parents said: “Better don’t do it. Please be careful”. When I saw Submission, I knew, this is going to be a problem.

“After the dead of Theo we had a meeting of film directors. Albert ter Heerdt said on the meeting, he would stop with the filming of the second part of his movie “Shouf shouf habibi” [a very successful comical movie about Moroccan youth]. I was shocked; his movie was an example of a gentle approach of the multicultural society. This motivated me much: it should not happen that directors stop film projects out of fear. I am not sure how courageous I am. But so far I never kept silent out of fear and I hope to keep it that way. That was also what made the contact with Theo van Gogh so special. He always stimulated you to speak out and to debate the issues.”

Albert ter Heerdt
Director of “Shouf shouf habibi!”, "Russen", "Liefdesgasten", ...

“In the tumultuous time after the murder on Theo van Gogh we decided for various reasons to postpone the planned next part of “Shouf shouf habibi” and to first make an other movie. I could not bring my self to ignore the real problems. And a lot of those problems do note work very well in a comedy like Shouf. Especialy as how we had planned that new Shouf movie. It had to much boys humor.”

In his new movie, he is going to show more about the Dutch situation then was possible in a comedy like Shouf.

Last Sunday the ‘International Film festival Rotterdam’ commemorated Theo van Gogh and played his movies. The viewing of Submission was canceled at the festival, due to security risks.

See also:
sered's pov - documentary mockumentary
Newyork Times - Militant Muslims Act to Suppress Dutch Film and Art Show
(Note: funy how the NYT calls the liberal party (VVD) a conservative party, apperently they see the socialist as the real liberals).
Powerline - It can't happen here

Subsidizing Terrorists

2005-02-02T21:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch government organization, Riagg (care organization for mental well being) is advertising on a fundamentalists Islam website www.elqalem.nl of terror imam Abdul-Jabbar van de Ven (See also: Chatting with terrorists). The elqalem website is full of hate propaganda that targets, the Dutch, the USA, Jews, Gays, president Bush, rep. Geert Wilders, rep. Ayaan Hirsi Ali and other known apostates of the Islamic faith (see some pictures: here).

A member of Leefbaar Rotterdam, a big local party that was founded by Pim Fortuyn (before he was assassinated during the national elections), asked questions. "it is a bit silly to say that the Riagg needs it self some psychological help, but they seems to be a bit out of touch with reality after everything that happened in the Netherlands" says council member Mosch.

The government Riagg organization says that statically immigrants of Moroccan decent have more problems that Dutch people. When asked about the Elqalem website, they answer that they have no opinion about the Islamic character of the site. "We have no involvement with the content. If the website uses wrong texts, they eventually will be prosecuted" says Ronald Oosterhof (Riagg). The front page of the website now displays Bush in front of a big Nazi swastika.

Ronald Oosterhof about council member Mosh: "He didn't do his home work very well".

But he is not the only misguided soul. Until recently the police was advertising for recruitment purposes on two Moroccan Islamic websites. These website also collected money for died martyrs, who died in Kashmir during their 'holiday' (The Dutch intelligence service had an other impression...).

See also:
Chatting with terrorists

Source: Rotterdams Dagblad

Dutch flag prohibited!

2005-02-01T22:00:00.000+01:00

Cals College in IJsselstein has prohibited two of it's students to have Dutch flags on their bags.

The 16 year old boy and his friend where told by the director of their school that they "urgently should consider" to remove the Dutch flags from their bags, it could provoke other students, mainly Moroccan students. The two considered the urgent request of the school as a prohibition.

But now biggest Dutch newspaper the Telegraaf made the story public and many Dutch are angry. Several parents of other students on the school have contacted the newspaper and say they are not surprised about what the school did, they think the school is afraid. One of the parents of the two boys thinks the same. "My son had trouble with some of these boys, but now he thinks the school blames him".

But the management of the school denies to have acted out of fear. They say they have merely acted with the security of the students in mind. They also deny the prohibition. "We wanted to start the dialog to make clear that we did not think the flag's where a good idea. That's all, he could decide him self" director Rooijen said.

Parliamentary members reacted surprised. Socialist (PvdA) and conservative Geert Wilders (independent) are going to ask the minister (CDA) questions. Wilders: "The use of out flag can not be prohibited". But the two government parties do not think so, they argue it is a matter between the school and the students.

As a result the school was on the evening news and interviews where taken in front of the school. The school has now send a letter to all the parents. In the letter they write that they try to prevent problems between students and that they do not prohibit the flag unless it is meant to hurt others peoples feelings. They say that they are proud on the students and teachers who together work on a good atmosphere and safe environment.

In a radio interview, one of the boys was asked if he was a racist. He denied and told the reporter that his mother was black. When he was asked about the incident that lead to the prohibition he explained that he had some verbal exchange with a Moroccan boy during competition swimming. As a result a group Moroccan then threatened him on school. At that moment the boy went to the school director.

Update (2005 feb 1):
Daily news paper Telegraaf now says that their are more schools who ban the Dutch flag. They write that Groene Hart Lyceum in Alphen aan den Rijn already ban the Dutch flag for nearly a year. They deny access to students who have flags on their bags or cloth. The school says they need to do this because of the new social climate. But they say prohibition is a big word, they do it in consent with the pupils...

This was a VMBO school with lots of immigrants. See also:
Moroccan youth at school

DowneastBlog has also a good rant on this item:
GET MFBB SOME DRAMAMINE PLEASE. HE FEELS KIND OF SICK...

Source: Telegraaf, Letter to the parents

Government goes over board

2005-02-01T20:37:00.000+01:00

According to Boris Dittrich the government goes over board in their struggle against terrorism. "Take for example the permanent allowance of frisks on certain area's [schiphol airport, nuclear power plants, etc.]. In practice that will lead to more searches of Moroccan youth and that will bring a divide in society" says Boris on a multi cultural manifestation with the name "Are you afraid of me" (The "Are you afraid of me" organization was started as an reaction of the 9-11 attacks in the USA).

D66 is one of three parties that support the Dutch government. They are the smallest and the most left wing party of the three, the party favors a mix between liberalism and socialism (like Clinton's third way). Some party officials want to start a new political movement together with members of the PvdA and VVD. The other two other government parties are CDA (Christians, with also a strong left wing) and the VVD (Liberals who mirror them selves to the American Liberal party).

Source: Nieuws.nl

Dutch Imam course

2005-02-01T20:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch government offers now a free imam course to Moslems on a major university:

BBC:
Muslim anger at Dutch imam plan

Militant Islam Monitor:
Dutch University to offer tax payer financed Imam course

But Dutch Moslem organizations now say they do not recognize it and they will never get a job in their mosques.

Islam & Socialism

2005-02-01T19:23:00.000+01:00

Dutch Socialist leader, Wouter Bos, sharply criticized minister Verdonk of integration and immigration. On a congress of his PvdA he said she is widening the gap between the Dutch and the immigrants. She talks about "about Muslims as if they are not Dutch". Also she talks about that they have "a limited resilience when criticized and in the same sentence denies that there is racism and discrimination on the labor market".

But he further criticized the whole government. According to him they do not spread the burden equally, trust too much on "the market" and do not listen to any one. "But the most fundamental I blame the for systematically confirm and stir up the fears and worries of the people. That is playing with fire".

The socialist PvdA must dare to choose against "the political correct of the new right" and for a "balance and down-to-earth" approach. About immigration and integration we have a "hard and balanced story". Hard for the immigrant who must integrate, but "at least as hard for the receiving society who will have to adjust permanently to new cultures and religions, and who should not convulsive hold on how The Netherlands once was, but never will be again".

You have to know that Ayaan Hirsi Ali once worked for a PvdA think tank. When she was making already making big news in the media because of her critical statements about the Islam, the current leader of the socialist, Wouter Bos said: "I don't know her, I have not yet talked with her". During the last elections the PvdA, put several Islamic people on their list and made a Turkish Muslim number two on the list. In all major cities they put Islamist on their voting lists.

And believe it or not the PvdA is in the polls the biggest political party of The Netherlands, they would according to the polls receive around 50 of the 150 seats in parliament (virtually guaranteeing them a seat in the next government).

PS
On the Photo is ex-president Clinton shaking hands with PvdA town council member Fatima Elatiek of Amsterdam. Theo van Gogh often heavily criticized Fatima, she wanted for example to forbid a play about the life of the prophet.

See also:
Blogger Sered - Sexy Socialism (external link)

Source: Eindhovensdagblad

The Muslim DHC rappers

2005-01-31T21:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch Court Sentenced Muslim rappers DHC over threat lyrics (DHC = Den Haag Connection). The rapper where singing they are going to kill representative Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Their lawyer said that they were just exercising their freedom of expression. They even got support from other Dutch people and even a comedian made a song to support them...

They where sentenced to 150 hours of community service...

Read full story with translated lyrics: here (JihadWatch.org)

Viewing Submission Canceled

2005-01-30T22:00:00.000+01:00

Citing security concerns, organizers of the Rotterdam Film Festival called off Sunday's screening of the short film Submission made by late Theo van Gogh and Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

Read full story: here (Yahoo/AP)

Police on Kazzaa

2005-01-30T19:00:00.000+01:00

Dutch Blog GeenStijl got access to confidential files of the military police. It turned out that one of the police officers, involved in a major human trafficking investigation, wanted to download his favorite music tracks and shared his drive with Kazzaa. His shared research files are now in the hands of Dutch blog GeenStijl.nl. They in turn handed them over to the biggest Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf. Now all media are reporting it.

After the news went public, the Dutch Justice immediately threatened to sue GeenStijl if they would do any citations out of the 'confidential' files. Because GeenStijl does not want to go to jail, they only told us that the report is 75 pages long and describes an international human trafficking gang in detail. Describes hundreds of recorded phone conversations. Lots of people are being shadowed and SMS traffic is monitored. Also the report contains lists of phone numbers and addresses of suspects and policeman. Even informants are described in the report.

It's not the first incident of this kind, last year the prosecutor Tonino, put his computer on the sidewalk, waiting to be collected by the waste collection. But a taxi driver took it home and gave it to a known crime TV show. The hard disk was full of confidential material. That same week an other blogger hacked the mailbox of Toninio, the blogger was immediately arrested. Over these incidents justice Minister Donner had to answer questions in parliament. Where Donner said, he had send new guidelines to the police. The guidelines described new procedures for computer security. It also explicitly forbid taking confidential material home.

See also:
The Secret Service Mole
The Register - Classified Dutch military documents found on P2P site (external link)
The Register - Prosecutor leaves crime files on dumped PC (external link)

Source: GeenStijl

Radical Islam in the Netherlands

2005-01-29T08:00:00.000+01:00

The Jamestown Foundation - Terrorism Monitor of January 13, 2005 has a story on:

Radical Islam in the Netherlands
by Edwin Bakker (Dutch name)

The story describes the "van Dawa tot Jihad" report that the Dutch intelligence service AIVD released last December.

Source: Intel-weblog.nl