Dutch Director's Death Waking EU Officials to Terrorist Threat
by Chad Groening and Jenni Parker
November 23, 2004
(AgapePress) - A British foreign policy expert believes the murder of a Dutch film producer by a Muslim terrorist will lead to increased action by European nations against Islamic terrorist cells.Authorities in the Netherlands have confirmed the arrest of 13 Muslims on terrorism charges following the murder of Dutch director Theo Van Gough, who was ritually slaughtered in Amsterdam November 2. The controversial filmmaker, who also did work as a television producer, publicist and actor, was allegedly murdered by a 26-year-old Dutch-Moroccan assassin, who was apparently incensed by Van Gough's work and his criticisms of Islam. The suspect is in custody.
Nile Gardiner, the visiting fellow for Anglo-American Security Policy at the Heritage Foundation, believes this crime in the Netherlands has raised tensions throughout the continent. "I do think that we are likely to see increasing action taken by European governments against Islamic terrorist cells," he says, "and certainly I think that the Dutch action taken over the past few days, in terms of arresting Islamic militants, is likely to be copied across many other parts of Europe."
Gardiner says although Holland has long been known as one of Europe's most hospitable and tolerant of societies, its hospitality is now being sorely tested. He believes many Dutch are now growing wary about the country's accommodation of radical Islamists. The Heritage Foundation scholar notes concern is growing over "the abuse of the hospitality shown by the Dutch people towards elements of the Muslim community who have thought to advance a radical, Islamist, anti-Western agenda. So the murder of Van Gogh, I think certainly, has considerably raised tension."
Gardiner believes the European authorities are likely to be more cautious as well as more pro-active in the wake of Van Gough's brutal slaying. The security policy expert says he expects to see increased government action against Muslim terrorist cells in the immediate future.
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Gary Bauer |
Meanwhile, Gary Bauer of American Values is lamenting the fact that it required so dreadful a catalyst as the murder of a Dutch citizen by a radical Islamist to attract the attention of Europe's progressive politicians. Now that this brutal crime has been committed, he says the EU is "begging new immigrants to assimilate -- to learn the native language of the country where they settle and to adopt 'European values.'"However, the U.S. conservative notes that one of these politicos, Geert Wilders, is going even farther now, by suggesting that it is time to start deporting radical Islamists. The Dutch politician was quoted last week as saying that the Netherlands has been too tolerant to intolerant people for too long. Wilders went on to remark that a mosque used to recruit for jihad is "not a house of prayer, it's a house of war. If it's not a house of prayer, it should be closed down."
Bauer says it is unfortunate that it took the horrific shooting and stabbing death of Van Gough by a suspected extremist to "enlighten" the European Union's progressive leadership.
