Gawain of Orkeny
11-11-2004, 07:39
NewsMax.com Wires
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2004
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands – Dutch Muslims and Christians called for an end to a cycle of retaliatory vandalism of mosques and churches on Tuesday, while slain filmmaker Theo van Gogh was cremated a week after his murder by a suspected Islamic radical.
Around 150 guests gathered at De Nieuwe Ooster Crematorium for the cremation, aired live on national television.
Story Continues Below
Hundreds more watched on a screen outside. Mourners left flowers, cigarettes and beer at a makeshift monument on the street where Van Gogh, a distant relative of the Dutch impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh, was repeatedly shot and stabbed.
"Our country is confused and grieving," said Bram Peper, calling Van Gogh's murder an attempt to silence "the power of the word."
Van Gogh was cremated to the music of the Lou Reed song "A Perfect Day." He is survived by his parents, former wife and a 12-year-old son.
Since the Nov. 2 slaying of Van Gogh, whose last film was critical of how women are treated under Islam, fires have been set at mosques and an immigrant social center has been vandalized. A pre-dawn explosion Monday in the southern town of Eindhoven damaged an Islamic elementary school.
Overnight, Molotov cocktails were thrown at Protestant churches in the central Dutch towns of Utrecht and Amersfoort, causing minor damage, officials said. No injuries were reported in either attack.
Van Gogh's killing and the violent response have shocked many in the Netherlands, who prided themselves on being part of what they considered a peaceful and open society.
Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk met Tuesday with moderate Muslim organizations.
"Everything must be done to halt this negative development," the two parties said in a joint statement. Verdonk promised the government would take steps to "isolate" Islamic extremists and reach out to mainstream Muslims.
The Muslim organizations pledged to inform followers about "the dangers of radicalism [and] underline the need to defend the values of a democratic state," it said.
Van Gogh's murder came two months after the release of "Submission," his last film which Muslims have called insulting to Islam. A five-page note threatening the lives of several Dutch politicians was driven into his chest with a knife.
Six alleged Islamic radicals are in custody in connection with his death, including the alleged killer, 26-year-old Mohammed Bouyeri, who holds Dutch and Moroccan passports. All face charges of forming a terrorist conspiracy to murder the filmmaker.
Threats of reprisals against the Dutch government also reportedly were posted on a Web site by a radical Islamic group in Dubai, if more mosques are attacked in the Netherlands.
Van Gogh's murder evoked memories of the May 2002 assassination of Pim Fortuyn, a populist right-wing, anti-immigration politician. His slaying triggered a hardening of the government's attitude toward newcomers and the expulsion of many thousands of asylum seekers.
LINK (http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/11/9/125112.shtml)
Anyone know whats going on over there? Is this an isolated occurence?
Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2004
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands – Dutch Muslims and Christians called for an end to a cycle of retaliatory vandalism of mosques and churches on Tuesday, while slain filmmaker Theo van Gogh was cremated a week after his murder by a suspected Islamic radical.
Around 150 guests gathered at De Nieuwe Ooster Crematorium for the cremation, aired live on national television.
Story Continues Below
Hundreds more watched on a screen outside. Mourners left flowers, cigarettes and beer at a makeshift monument on the street where Van Gogh, a distant relative of the Dutch impressionist painter Vincent Van Gogh, was repeatedly shot and stabbed.
"Our country is confused and grieving," said Bram Peper, calling Van Gogh's murder an attempt to silence "the power of the word."
Van Gogh was cremated to the music of the Lou Reed song "A Perfect Day." He is survived by his parents, former wife and a 12-year-old son.
Since the Nov. 2 slaying of Van Gogh, whose last film was critical of how women are treated under Islam, fires have been set at mosques and an immigrant social center has been vandalized. A pre-dawn explosion Monday in the southern town of Eindhoven damaged an Islamic elementary school.
Overnight, Molotov cocktails were thrown at Protestant churches in the central Dutch towns of Utrecht and Amersfoort, causing minor damage, officials said. No injuries were reported in either attack.
Van Gogh's killing and the violent response have shocked many in the Netherlands, who prided themselves on being part of what they considered a peaceful and open society.
Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk met Tuesday with moderate Muslim organizations.
"Everything must be done to halt this negative development," the two parties said in a joint statement. Verdonk promised the government would take steps to "isolate" Islamic extremists and reach out to mainstream Muslims.
The Muslim organizations pledged to inform followers about "the dangers of radicalism [and] underline the need to defend the values of a democratic state," it said.
Van Gogh's murder came two months after the release of "Submission," his last film which Muslims have called insulting to Islam. A five-page note threatening the lives of several Dutch politicians was driven into his chest with a knife.
Six alleged Islamic radicals are in custody in connection with his death, including the alleged killer, 26-year-old Mohammed Bouyeri, who holds Dutch and Moroccan passports. All face charges of forming a terrorist conspiracy to murder the filmmaker.
Threats of reprisals against the Dutch government also reportedly were posted on a Web site by a radical Islamic group in Dubai, if more mosques are attacked in the Netherlands.
Van Gogh's murder evoked memories of the May 2002 assassination of Pim Fortuyn, a populist right-wing, anti-immigration politician. His slaying triggered a hardening of the government's attitude toward newcomers and the expulsion of many thousands of asylum seekers.
LINK (http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/11/9/125112.shtml)
Anyone know whats going on over there? Is this an isolated occurence?