Wilders on Trial (WoT) – part zero: outlining the case

On January 20 Dutch politician Wilders has to stand on trial. I will keep you updated by a series of reports.

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Peering into RNW’s Crystal Ball | Radio Netherlands Worldwide

Fireworks for The Hague
[…]but our Dutch political editor John Tyler is predicting plenty in The Hague, kicking off in January with the trial of controversial anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders for inciting hatred. Even if he’s found guilty, he’s still on a winning streak in the court of public opinion. His Freedom Party just keeps doing better and better in the opinion polls – something not to be ignored with elections due in the spring of 2011. But his chance may come even sooner according to Tyler.

“None of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende’s three cabinets have made it the full four years. And just look at the coalition – it’s a marriage of convenience, a divorce for the sake of the kids is making more and more sense. And the fun has yet to begin. In 2010, the government’s going to propose ways to cut 20 percent from the national budget – one fifth of total spending gone in a flash. I don’t think the government’s going to make it to Christmas.”

So who knows, before the year is out John could be interviewing Prime Minister Geert Wilders – and he could be the first Dutch leader with a criminal record.

What are the charges?
SUMMONS OF THE ACCUSED – Hudson New York

he, on one or more dates in or about the period from 8 August 2007 up to and including 27 March 2008, in The Hague and/or Amsterdam and/or (elsewhere in) the Netherlands, on multiple occasions, at least once, (each time) in public, orally, in writing or through images, intentionally offended a group of people, i.e. Muslims, based on their religion, by (each time) intentionally in

* De Volkskrant and/or
* on the internet on the website www.liveleak.com (in the film Fitna)

placing (having placed) and/or showing (having showed) and/or having heard one or more texts and/or images and/or footage and/or audio fragments with the following content:

(De Volkskrant of 8 August 2007, ‘Enough is enough: prohibit the Quran’)

‘A moderate Islam does not exist. It does not exist because there is no distinction between Good Islam and Bad Islam. There is Islam and that is it. And Islam means the Quran and nothing but the Quran. And the Quran is the Mein Kampf of a religion that intends to eliminate others and that refers to those others – non-Muslims – as unfaithful dogs, inferior beings. Read the Quran, this Mein Kampf, again. In whatever version, you will see that all the evil that the sons of Allah commit to us and themselves originates from this book (Oriana Fallaci, The Force of Reason, post-script, page 305, February 2006).’

and/or

‘The core of the problem is the fascist Islam, the sick ideology of Allah and Mohammed as laid down in the Islamic Mein Kampf: the Quran. The texts from the Quran leave little to imagination.’

and/or

‘Prohibit this miserable book the way Mein Kampf was also prohibited!’

and/or

‘I have enough of the Quran in the Netherlands: prohibit this fascist book.’

and/or

(The film Fitna, placed on www.liveleak.com on 27 March 2008)

‘Islam wants to control, subdue and is out for the destruction of our Western civilisation. In 1945 Nazism was beaten in Europe. In 1989 communism was beaten in Europe. Now the Islamic ideology must be beaten. Stop the Islamisation. Defend our freedom.’

(Article 137c of the Dutch Criminal Code)

2.

he, on one or more dates in or about the period from 7 October 2006 up to and including 27 March 2008, in The Hague and/or Amsterdam and/or (elsewhere in) the Netherlands, on multiple occasions, at least once, (each time) in public, orally, in writing or through images, incited to hatred of people, i.e. Muslims, based on their religion, by (each time) in

* De Volkskrant and/or
* De Pers and/or
* Dagblad De Limburger-Limburgs Dagblad and/or on the internet
* on the website www.geenstijl.nl and/or www.pvv.nl and/or
* on the website of Radio Nederland Wereldomroep and/or the Wereldomroep and/or
* on the website www.liveleak.com (in the film Fitna)

placing (having placed) and/or showing (having showed) and/or having heard one or more texts and/or images and/or footage and/or audio fragments with the following content:

(De Volkskrant of 7 October 2006, ‘The Pope is completely right’)

‘The borders are closed to all non-Western immigrants the same day.’

and/or

‘The demographic composition of the population is the biggest problem of the Netherlands. I am talking about what comes to the Netherlands and what reproduces here. If you look at the figures and the development therein* Muslims will move from the big cities to the country. We must stop the tsunami of the Islamisation. This hits us in the heart, in our identity, in our culture. If we do not defend ourselves all other points from my programme will appear to be useless.’

and/or

‘Of course. 99 percent of the people who came to live there are of an Islamic origin.’

and/or

‘Absolutely. The figures show this. One out of five Moroccan youngsters is registered with the police as a suspect. Their behaviour derives from their religion and culture. You cannot consider these two facts separately. The other day the Pope was completely right: the Islam is a violent religion. Islam means submission and conversion of non-Muslims. This interpretation rules in the living rooms of these problematic youngsters, in the mosques. It has been embedded in this community itself.’

and/or

‘Everybody adapts to our dominant culture. Who does not do so will no longer be here in twenty years time. They will be deported.’

and/or

‘We have a gigantic problem with Muslims, in every respect it is going too far, and we present solutions that cannot even get a mouse to come out of its hole.’

and/or

‘Those Moroccan boys are really violent. They beat up people because of their sexual orientation. I have never used violence.’

and/or

‘Of this tsunami of a culture foreign to us that becomes ever more dominant here. This must be stopped.’

and/or

(Internet column ‘Mohammed (part II): the Islamic invasion’ of 6 February 2007, on the website of www.geenstijl.nl and/or the website www.pvv.nl)

‘In the Nederlands Dagblad of last Saturday Professor Ralphael Israeli is also quoted who predicts a “Third Islamic Invasion of Europe” by means of “penetration, propaganda, conversion and demographic changes”. In his eyes the Europeans are even committing “demographic suicide” with the advancing Islam. The first Islamic invasion was stopped at Poitiers in the year 732 after the conquest of Spain, Portugal and the south of France and the second invasion attempt by the Ottoman Turks as stopped before the gates of Vienna where they were, fortunately, beaten in 1683. According to Prof. Israeli the third invasion attempt that is now going on in Europe has a much bigger change of success.

The man is absolutely right. The Muslim population doubles with every generation – 25 years – and the number of Islamics in each and every European country is taking disturbing forms.’

and/or

‘The Netherlands as Islamic mission country. If a terrorist like Mohammed B. could yet not be stopped, the tactics of penetration, propaganda, conversion and demographic change will indeed prove to be successful if the cowardly political elite from VVD to PvdA and from SP to CDA and their European equivalents continue to remain silent about it and denounce and demonise those who are not. There is enough Islam in Europe and in the Netherlands. The PVV will oppose this third Islamic invasion attempt with man and might.’

and/or

(De Pers of 13 February 2007, ‘What is driving Geert Wilders?’)

‘We want enough. Close the borders, no more Islamics in the Netherlands, many Muslims deported from the Netherlands, denaturalisation of Islamic criminals.’

and/or

‘It is the facts. The Islam is a violent religion. If Mohammed would be alive here today the Lower House would immediately agree to hunt him out of the country.’

and/or

‘Former chief of the Mossad Efraim Halevy says that the Third World War has already started. I am not putting these words in my mouth, but it is correct though.’

and/or

‘I have good intentions. We let something happen as a result of which this becomes a totally different society. I am well aware that in a few decades there will not be an Islamic majority yet. But it is growing. With aggressive elements, imperialism. Just take a walk down the street and look what it is bringing us. You feel that you are no longer living in your own country. A fight is going on and we must defend ourselves. Soon there will be more mosques than churches!’

and/or

(De Volkskrant of 8 August 2007, ‘Wilders: prohibit the Quran, also in mosque’)

‘A prohibition is a prohibition. Hence not only the sale but also the use in mosques and possession at home must be punished. If this is not possible in the current legislation then a new prohibitory provision must be created.’

and/or

‘This book incites to hatred and murder, and does therefore not fit in our legal system. If Muslims want to participate they must renounce this Quran. I understand this is much to ask, but we must stop making concessions.’

and/or

(De Volkskrant of 8 August 2007, ‘Enough is enough: prohibit the Quran’)

‘A moderate Islam does not exist. It does not exist because there is no distinction between Good Islam and Bad Islam. There is Islam and that is it. And Islam means the Quran and nothing but the Quran. And the Quran is the Mein Kampf of a religion that intends to eliminate others and that refers to those others – non-Muslims – as unfaithful dogs, inferior beings. Read the Quran, this Mein Kampf, again. In whatever version, you will see that all the evil that the sons of Allah commit to us and themselves originates from this book (Oriana Fallaci, The Force of Reason, post-script, page 305, February 2006).’

and/or

‘The core of the problem is the fascist Islam, the sick ideology of Allah and Mohammed as laid down in the Islamic Mein Kampf: the Quran. The texts from the Quran leave little to imagination.’

and/or

‘Prohibit this miserable book the way Mein Kampf was also prohibited!’

and/or

‘I am so ashamed of all those in- and outside of the government and the Lower House who refuse to stop the Islamic invasion of the Netherlands. I am so ashamed of Dutch politics where the overrepresentation of members of ethnic minorities in crime and criminality is accepted day in day out without an answer to it.’

and/or

‘The Hague is filled with cowardly folks. Scared people who were born cowardly and will die cowardly. Who feel and stimulate that the Dutch culture is founded on a Jewish-Christian-Islamic tradition. Who issue a general pardon to liars and criminals.’

and/or

‘Who do not give a damn about the interests of the Dutch citizens and cooperate in the transformation of the Netherlands into Netherabia as a province of the Islamic super state Eurabia.’

and/or

‘I have had enough of the Islam in the Netherlands: no more Muslim immigrants. I have had enough of the adoration of Allah and Mohammed in the Netherlands: no more mosques. I have had enough of the Quran in the Netherlands: prohibit this fascist book.

Enough is enough.’

and/or

(‘Wilders wants a renewed mini Quran’ of 7 September 2007 on the website of Radio Nederland Wereldomroep and/or the Wereldomroep via the link: http://static.rnw.nl/migratie/www.wereldomroep.nl/actua/nl/nederlandsepolitiek/070909wildersintvw-redirected)

‘This kind of renewed version would be desirable, according to the PVV leader; a Quran deprived of all vindictive verses. “It should actually have the format of a Donald Duck”, according to Wilders.’

and/or

(De Limburger of 9 February 2008, ‘Islam is my Fitna’)

‘I point to the role which the horrible Quran plays in the Islamisation of our society.’

and/or

‘In the film I illustrate texts and verses from the Quran with documentary images that demonstrate that the Quran is not a dead letter but the face of the Islam: a huge threat.’

and/or

(De Volkskrant of 11 February 2008, ‘It no longer has any use, but The Film will be there’)

‘In the GPD interview he explains that he will illustrate texts and verses from the Quran with documentary images. He wants to, by way of example, demonstrate that the Quran is not “ a dead letter but the face of the Islam: a huge threat”.’

and/or

(The film Fitna, placed on www.liveleak.com on 27 March 2008)

The film starts with a black image with the text: “Warning: this film contains very shocking material”. Then the sound of a match being lighted can be heard and a book with oriental looking symbols is opened up that looks like the Quran. On the first page a cartoon can be seen of Mohammed with a bomb in his turban. The sound of a burning fuse can be heard. A clock appears that starts counting down from 15:00.

A page of the book is turned over. Two open pages can be seen. On the page on the right the following text appears: “Quran, Surah 8, verse 60”. Then on the page on the left appears: “Surah 8. Verse 60: Prepare for them whatever force and cavalry ye are able of gathering, to strike terror, to strike terror into the hearts of the enemies, of Allah and your enemies”. A voice can also be heard which (most likely) sings this text in the Arabic language. On the page on the right, next to the text, footage of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York (09/11/2001) are shown as well as of the attacks by Muslim extremists in Madrid and London with footage of the victims. This footage is alternated with footage of apparent imams who say: “What makes Allah happy? Allah is happy if non-Muslims are being killed” and “Destroy the unbelievers and polytheists, your (Allah’s) enemies and the enemies of the religion. Allah, count them and kill them up to the very last of them. And do not spare a single one”.

The page is turned. Now the page on the right states: “Quran, Surah 4, verse 56” and on the page on the left: “Surah 4, verse 56: Those who reject our signs, we shall soon cast into the fire: as often as their skins are roasted through, we shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise”. Then footage follows of a man who yells: “If Allah permits us, oh nation of Mohammed, even the stone will say Oh Muslim. A Jew is hiding behind me, come and cut off his head. And we shall cut off his head! By Allah, we shall cut it off! Oh Jews! Allah Akbar! (Allah is Great!). Jihad for the sake of Allah! Jihad for the sake of Allah! Victory to Allah! Allah Akbar! (Allah is Great!)”.

Then footage is shown of a young girl wearing a headscarf who is asked by a person off-screen who the Jews are. The little girl answers: “They are apes and pigs”. The voice says: “Are they apes and pigs? Says who?” The little girl says: “Allah”. The voice asks: “Where did he say this?” The little girl answers: “In the Quran”. The following footage shows a mass of people who are dragging corpses behind them. The following footage again shows images of the attacks in London showing, among other things, an exploded red double-decker bus. Then footage follows of apparently an imam who calls outs: “The Jews are Jews. They are the ones who must be butchered and killed”. These stills are intertwined with stills of Muslims (as follows from the headscarves and facial covering worn by one of the female persons) who show texts on signs: “Be prepared for the real Holocaust” and “God bless Hitler”. Then footage of a group of people in uniform who are lined up follows, apparently fighters who are standing with extended right arm (apparently bringing the Hitler salute).

A page is turned. On the new page the following text appears: “Quran, Surah 47, verse 4” and then: “Surah 47, verse 4: Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers in fight, smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly on them”. A voice can also be heard which (probably) presents this text in the Arabic language. Then a newspaper article is shown of the murder of Theo van Gogh. A fragment of an interview with Theo van Gogh can be heard where he says, among other things: “I do not think that bullet will come for me!”. A picture of a male person appears who looks like Mohammed B. who has been convicted of the murder of Theo van Gogh. On screen appears: Mohammed B. Immediately thereafter an audio fragment in which the voice of Mohammed B. can be heard who says: “If I had the opportunity, if I would be free, and I had the opportunity to do it again, what I did on 2 November, I would have done exactly the same”. Footage appears of people who yell: “Learn from Theo van Gogh. Learn from the examples you can see! Because you pay with your blood!” and also footage of people with bloody knives. A newspaper article is shown with the header: “Hirsi Ali and Wilders into hiding. Death list. Targets in letter of Mohammed B.”. A fragment can also be seen of, as can be seen on screen, a Saudi TV station, Iqra TV, where a person says: “Houses and young men must be sacrificed, throats must be cut and skulls must be crushed. This is the road to victory”. Stills are shown of people wearing balaclavas and holding firearms. In between them they hold a man who is apparently their prisoner. The person wearing a balaclava in the middle reads a statement out loud. Then the masked men move to cut off the head of the prisoner. The beheading itself can (barely) not be seen. Yet the audio of the fragment remains audible. Sounds can be heard that apparently point to the beheading. After a few seconds the footage returns and one of the masked men can be seen holding the cut-off head of the prisoner up.

A page is turned again. On the new page can be read: “Quran, Surah 4, verse 89” and then: “Surah 4, verse 89: They but wish that ye should reject faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing as they, so take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah. But if they turn renegades, seize them and kill them wherever ye find them, and take no friends or helpers from their ranks”. A voice can also be heard which (probably) presents the text in the Arabic language. The text is followed by footage of Arabic looking people who state the following: “The Islam is a sacred religion. The best religion there is. If somebody converts to Christianity he deserves the death penalty”. Another person says: “The Islam is superior compared to the Jews, the Christians, the Buddhists and the Hindus. The only law recognised by Allah is the Islam. And he who pursues anything other but the Islam shall never be accepted”. The following newspaper headlines appear on screen: “Former Muslim Jami molested”, “Islamic witch hunt again threatens”, “Death to Rushdie” and “Letter on body Theo van Gogh disclosed. Hirsi Ali also receiving death threats”.

The page is turned. It says: “Quran, Surah 8, verse 39” and then: “Surah 8, verse 39: Fight them until there is no dissension, and the religion is entirely Allah’s”. Moreover, a voice can be heard which (probably) presents this text in the Arabic language. An Ayatollah appears who says: “The Islam is a religion that wants to control the world. It did so before and shall eventually do so again”. Followed by President Ahmadinejad who says: “The message of the Revolution is global, and is not restricted to a specific place or time. Have no doubt… Allah willing, Islam will conquer what? It will conquer all the mountain tops of the world”.

Then a number of apparently Arabic men appears on screen that make the following statements:

“We have ruled the world before. And Allah willing the day shall come that we will again rule the whole world. The day shall come that we will rule over America! The day shall come that we will rule over Great Britain and the whole world!”.

“Allah ordered us to spread this religion all over the world”.

“Thou shall take over the United States! Thou shall take over the United Kingdom! Thou shall take over Europe! Thou shall conquer them all. Thou shall be victorious! Thou shall take over Egypt. We have faith in Allah!”.

Then apparently Arabic people with signs are shown. The following texts can be read: “Islam will dominate the world” and “Freedom go to hell”.

Then the following text appears: “The Netherlands is under the spell of the Islam”. Stills are shown of mosques that are most likely situated in the Netherlands. A voice can also be heard which says: “These mosques are all part of the Dutch government system”. Footage is shown of a woman dressed in a burka combined with the newspaper header “Government: no burka prohibition” as also with satellite dishes and apartment buildings. Graphs are shown of the increase of the number of Muslims in the Netherlands in the course of the years. In the graphs the years 1909, 1960, 1990 and 2004 are shown with, respectively, the following numbers: 54, 1399, 458,000 and 944,000. Next to these graphs the number of Muslims in Europe in 2007 appears. The graph increases up to 54,000,000 and continues beyond the top of the screen. In the background stills can be seen of women with headscarves, satellite dishes and Dutch police officers in uniform taking off their shoes when they apparently enter a mosque. An apparent Muslim says: “If my sister or my mother has sex with another person I will also kill them”. The interviewer asks: “Then you commit blood vengeance!” The man answers: “Absolutely”. Another apparent Muslim says: “For example, in the Netherlands you can be adulterous or gay. But I do not wish to be part of that because the Islam considers that to be a crime”. A still appears of a postcard with the text: “Greetings from the Netherlands” where you can only see mosques. Then a preach can be heard, on screen the following appears: “Said in Dutch mosques”: “They must renounce political parties and worldly bodies of thought like liberalism, democracy, socialism and everything that smells of it and originates from the human brain” and (according to the text on screen pronounced in the El Tawheed mosque): “If a married man, by the grace of Allah, commits adultery, or a married woman commits adultery, she will be stoned”.

On screen the following question is shown: “The Netherlands in the future!?”. Stills are shown of apparently homosexual men (on screen it reads: “Gays”) who are hanged, children smothered in blood (on screen it reads: “Children”), stills of a woman with a bloody knife in her hand with a child smothered in blood on her lap, a woman (on screen it reads: “Women”) with a naked lower torso tied down to a bed and then a lot of blood (she is apparently being circumcised), a chopped off head of apparently a Muslim woman (she wears a headscarf), a woman dressed in a burka at a noose and a veiled woman who is shot through her head. These scenes are concluded with a large number of newspaper headlines. An enumeration of the headlines is provided below:

Islamists seek control, politically driven Muslims gain influence in Europe
Spanish Court examines ties. Laakkwartier with Madrid in terror web
Sudanese demand execution of British ‘teddy bear lady’
Three people suspected of planning attack
Hell will break loose. “What you need is a heavy bomb attack”. “We do not agree with the freedom of speech, because we renounce democracy”, “Our alternative is the Islam”
Explosive increase blood vengeance in Amsterdam
School closes on Muslim holidays
AIVD investigation: Jihad lessons at primary school
Minister reports Rotterdam abuse cases. Free trip to Mecca via Islam school
Ankara wants Turkish in classroom here
Donner eases the rules. Foreign imams can enter country more quickly
Murderer Theo van Gogh predicts terrorist acts. Mohammed B.: “My followers are ready”
Van Gogh murdered after Fatwa announcement
Almost half of the young Moroccans anti-Western
Mosques under spell of radical Muslim group
Suicide commandos in the Netherlands
Hamas meets in Rotterdam
Alexander must swim for hours. Moroccans throw gay into the water
Imams do not like gays
‘Imam legitimises violence against gays’
‘Throw gays of high buildings’
Mosque: “Turn the Netherlands into a Muslim state”
Girls still being circumcised
‘Muslims prevent doctors from providing care to women’
Halal fund: sliced meat for Muslims. New on Amsterdam Stock Exchange
Al Qaeda issues death sentence. Jihad against Wilders
‘Quran game licence’ Arabic Specialist Hans Jansen: “You already offend the Islam by not becoming a Muslim”

Then a hand can be seen that takes up a page of the Quran. The screen then turns black and the sound of paper being torn can be heard. On screen the text appears: “The sound you just heard was a page from the telephone directory. Because it is not up to me but up to the Muslims themselves to tear the vindictive verses from the Quran. Muslims want you to give room to the Islam, but the Islam does not offer room to you.

The government wants you to respect the Islam, yet the Islam has no respect at all for you. The Islam wants to control, subdue and is out for the destruction of our Western civilisation. In 1945 Nazism was beaten in Europe. In 1989 communism was beaten in Europe. Now the Islamic ideology must be beaten. Stop the Islamisation. Defend our freedom”.

The film again concludes with the image of the cartoon of Mohammed with the turban. It can be seen that the fuse in his turban is almost near the end. A ticking clock can be heard. The clock appears on screen and counts down from 00:03 to zero. A flash of lightning can be seen and a bolt of lightning can be heard. Then the Quran is closed, the word “Fitna” is shown which flows into the word “Fin” and then the credits of the film are shown.

(Article 137d of the Dutch Criminal Code)

3.

he, on one or more dates in or about the period from 7 October 2006 up to and including 27 March 2008, in The Hague and/or Amsterdam and/or (elsewhere in) the Netherlands, on multiple occasions, at least once, (each time) in public, orally, in writing or through images, incited to discrimination, within the meaning of article 90 quarter of the Dutch Criminal Code, against people, i.e. Muslims, based on their religion, by (each time) in

* De Volkskrant and/or
* De Pers and/or
* Dagblad De Limburger-Limburgs Dagblad and/or on the internet
* on the website www.geenstijl.nl and/or www.pvv.nl and/or
* on the website of Radio Nederland Wereldomroep and/or the Wereldomroep and/or
* on the website www.liveleak.com (in the film Fitna)

placing (having placed) and/or showing (having showed) and/or having heard one or more texts and/or images and/or footage and/or audio fragments with the following content:

(De Volkskrant of 7 October 2006, ‘The Pope is completely right’)

‘The borders are closed to all non-Western immigrants the same day.’

and/or

‘The demographic composition of the population is the biggest problem of the Netherlands. I am talking about what comes to the Netherlands and what reproduces here. If you look at the figures and the development therein* Muslims will move from the big cities to the country. We must stop the tsunami of the Islamisation. This hits us in the heart, in our identity, in our culture. If we do not defend ourselves all other points from my programme will appear to be useless.’

and/or

‘Of course. 99 percent of the people who came to live there are of an Islamic origin.’

and/or

‘Absolutely. The figures show this. One out of five Moroccan youngsters is registered with the police as a suspect. Their behaviour derives from their religion and culture. You cannot consider these two facts separately. The other day the Pope was completely right: the Islam is a violent religion. Islam means submission and conversion of non-Muslims. This interpretation rules in the living rooms of these problematic youngsters, in the mosques. It has been embedded in this community itself.’

and/or

‘Everybody adapts to our dominant culture. Who does not do so will no longer be here in twenty years time. They will be deported.’

and/or

‘We have a gigantic problem with Muslims, in every respect it is going too far, and we present solutions that cannot even get a mouse to come out of its hole.’

and/or

‘Those Moroccan boys are really violent. They beat up people because of their sexual orientation. I have never used violence.’

and/or

‘Of this tsunami of a culture foreign to us that becomes ever more dominant here. This must be stopped.’

and/or

(Internet column ‘Mohammed (part II): the Islamic invasion’ of 6 February 2007, on the website of www.geenstijl.nl and/or the website www.pvv.nl)

‘In the Nederlands Dagblad of last Saturday Professor Ralphael Israeli is also quoted who predicts a “Third Islamic Invasion of Europe” by means of “penetration, propaganda, conversion and demographic changes”. In his eyes the Europeans are even committing “demographic suicide” with the advancing Islam. The first Islamic invasion was stopped at Poitiers in the year 732 after the conquest of Spain, Portugal and the south of France and the second invasion attempt by the Ottoman Turks as stopped before the gates of Vienna where they were, fortunately, beaten in 1683. According to Prof. Israeli the third invasion attempt that is now going on in Europe has a much bigger change of success.

The man is absolutely right. The Muslim population doubles with every generation – 25 years – and the number of Islamics in each and every European country is taking disturbing forms.’

and/or

‘The Netherlands as Islamic mission country. If a terrorist like Mohammed B. could yet not be stopped, the tactics of penetration, propaganda, conversion and demographic change will indeed prove to be successful if the cowardly political elite from VVD to PvdA and from SP to CDA and their European equivalents continue to remain silent about it and denounce and demonise those who are not. There is enough Islam in Europe and in the Netherlands. The PVV will oppose this third Islamic invasion attempt with man and might.’

and/or

(De Pers of 13 February 2007, ‘What is driving Geert Wilders?’)

‘We want enough. Close the borders, no more Islamics in the Netherlands, many Muslims deported from the Netherlands, denaturalisation of Islamic criminals.’

and/or

‘It is the facts. The Islam is a violent religion. If Mohammed would be alive here today the Lower House would immediately agree to hunt him out of the country.’

and/or

‘Former chief of the Mossad Efraim Halevy says that the Third World War has already started. I am not putting these words in my mouth, but it is correct though.’

and/or

‘I have good intentions. We let something happen as a result of which this becomes a totally different society. I am well aware that in a few decades there will not be an Islamic majority yet. But it is growing. With aggressive elements, imperialism. Just take a walk down the street and look what it is bringing us. You feel that you are no longer living in your own country. A fight is going on and we must defend ourselves. Soon there will be more mosques than churches!’

and/or

(De Volkskrant of 8 August 2007, ‘Wilders: prohibit the Quran, also in mosque’)

‘A prohibition is a prohibition. Hence not only the sale but also the use in mosques and possession at home must be punished. If this is not possible in the current legislation then a new prohibitory provision must be created.’

and/or

‘This book incites to hatred and murder, and does therefore not fit in our legal system. If Muslims want to participate they must renounce this Quran. I understand this is much to ask, but we must stop making concessions.’

and/or

(De Volkskrant of 8 August 2007, ‘Enough is enough: prohibit the Quran’)

‘A moderate Islam does not exist. It does not exist because there is no distinction between Good Islam and Bad Islam. There is Islam and that is it. And Islam means the Quran and nothing but the Quran. And the Quran is the Mein Kampf of a religion that intends to eliminate others and that refers to those others – non-Muslims – as unfaithful dogs, inferior beings. Read the Quran, this Mein Kampf, again. In whatever version, you will see that all the evil that the sons of Allah commit to us and themselves originates from this book (Oriana Fallaci, The Force of Reason, post-script, page 305, February 2006).’

and/or

‘The core of the problem is the fascist Islam, the sick ideology of Allah and Mohammed as laid down in the Islamic Mein Kampf: the Quran. The texts from the Quran leave little to imagination.’

and/or

‘Prohibit this miserable book the way Mein Kampf was also prohibited!’

and/or

‘I am so ashamed of all those in- and outside of the government and the Lower House who refuse to stop the Islamic invasion of the Netherlands. I am so ashamed of Dutch politics where the overrepresentation of members of ethnic minorities in crime and criminality is accepted day in day out without an answer to it.’

and/or

‘The Hague is filled with cowardly folks. Scared people who were born cowardly and will die cowardly. Who feel and stimulate that the Dutch culture is founded on a Jewish-Christian-Islamic tradition. Who issue a general pardon to liars and criminals.’

and/or

‘Who do not give a damn about the interests of the Dutch citizens and cooperate in the transformation of the Netherlands into Netherabia as a province of the Islamic super state Eurabia.’

and/or

‘I have had enough of the Islam in the Netherlands: no more Muslim immigrants. I have had enough of the adoration of Allah and Mohammed in the Netherlands: no more mosques. I have had enough of the Quran in the Netherlands: prohibit this fascist book.

Enough is enough.’

and/or

(‘Wilders wants a renewed mini Quran’ of 7 September 2007 on the website of Radio Nederland Wereldomroep and/or the Wereldomroep via the link: http://static.rnw.nl/migratie/www.wereldomroep.nl/actua/nl/nederlandsepolitiek/070909wildersintvw-redirected)

‘This kind of renewed version would be desirable, according to the PVV leader; a Quran deprived of all vindictive verses. “It should actually have the format of a Donald Duck”, according to Wilders.’

and/or

(De Limburger of 9 February 2008, ‘Islam is my Fitna’)

‘I point to the role which the horrible Quran plays in the Islamisation of our society.’

and/or

‘In the film I illustrate texts and verses from the Quran with documentary images that demonstrate that the Quran is not a dead letter but the face of the Islam: a huge threat.’

and/or

(De Volkskrant of 11 February 2008, ‘It no longer has any use, but The Film will be there’)

‘In the GPD interview he explains that he will illustrate texts and verses from the Quran with documentary images. He wants to, by way of example, demonstrate that the Quran is not “a dead letter but the face of the Islam: a huge threat”.’

and/or

(The film Fitna, placed on www.liveleak.com on 27 March 2008)

The film starts with a black image with the text: “Warning: this film contains very shocking material”. Then the sound of a match being lighted can be heard and a book with oriental looking symbols is opened up that looks like the Quran. On the first page a cartoon can be seen of Mohammed with a bomb in his turban. The sound of a burning fuse can be heard. A clock appears that starts counting down from 15:00.

A page of the book is turned over. Two open pages can be seen. On the page on the right the following text appears: “Quran, Surah 8, verse 60”. Then on the page on the left appears: “Surah 8. Verse 60: Prepare for them whatever force and cavalry ye are able of gathering, to strike terror, to strike terror into the hearts of the enemies, of Allah and your enemies”. A voice can also be heard which (most likely) sings this text in the Arabic language. On the page on the right, next to the text, footage of the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York (09/11/2001) are shown as well as of the attacks by Muslim extremists in Madrid and London with footage of the victims. This footage is alternated with footage of apparent imams who say: “What makes Allah happy? Allah is happy if non-Muslims are being killed” and “Destroy the unbelievers and polytheists, your (Allah’s) enemies and the enemies of the religion. Allah, count them and kill them up to the very last of them. And do not spare a single one”.

The page is turned. Now the page on the right states: “Quran, Surah 4, verse 56” and on the page on the left: “Surah 4, verse 56: Those who reject our signs, we shall soon cast into the fire: as often as their skins are roasted through, we shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise”. Then footage follows of a man who yells: “If Allah permits us, oh nation of Mohammed, even the stone will say Oh Muslim. A Jew is hiding behind me, come and cut off his head. And we shall cut off his head! By Allah, we shall cut it off! Oh Jews! Allah Akbar! (Allah is Great!). Jihad for the sake of Allah! Jihad for the sake of Allah! Victory to Allah! Allah Akbar! (Allah is Great!)”.

Then footage is shown of a young girl wearing a headscarf who is asked by a person off-screen who the Jews are. The little girl answers: “They are apes and pigs”. The voice says: “Are they apes and pigs? Says who?” The little girl says: “Allah”. The voice asks: “Where did he say this?” The little girl answers: “In the Quran”. The following footage shows a mass of people who are dragging corpses behind them. The following footage again shows images of the attacks in London showing, among other things, an exploded red double-decker bus. Then footage follows of apparently an imam who calls outs: “The Jews are Jews. They are the ones who must be butchered and killed”. These stills are intertwined with stills of Muslims (as follows from the headscarves and facial covering worn by one of the female persons) who show texts on signs: “Be prepared for the real Holocaust” and “God bless Hitler”. Then footage of a group of people in uniform who are lined up follows, apparently fighters who are standing with extended right arm (apparently bringing the Hitler salute).

A page is turned. On the new page the following text appears: “Quran, Surah 47, verse 4” and then: “Surah 47, verse 4: Therefore, when ye meet the Unbelievers in fight, smite at their necks; At length, when ye have thoroughly subdued them, bind a bond firmly on them”. A voice can also be heard which (probably) presents this text in the Arabic language. Then a newspaper article is shown of the murder of Theo van Gogh. A fragment of an interview with Theo van Gogh can be heard where he says, among other things: “I do not think that bullet will come for me!”. A picture of a male person appears who looks like Mohammed B. who has been convicted of the murder of Theo van Gogh. On screen appears: Mohammed B. Immediately thereafter an audio fragment in which the voice of Mohammed B. can be heard who says: “If I had the opportunity, if I would be free, and I had the opportunity to do it again, what I did on 2 November, I would have done exactly the same”. Footage appears of people who yell: “Learn from Theo van Gogh. Learn from the examples you can see! Because you pay with your blood!” and also footage of people with bloody knives. A newspaper article is shown with the header: “Hirsi Ali and Wilders into hiding. Death list. Targets in letter of Mohammed B.” A fragment can also be seen of, as can be seen on screen, a Saudi TV station, Iqra TV, where a person says: “Houses and young men must be sacrificed, throats must be cut and skulls must be crushed. This is the road to victory”. Stills are shown of people wearing balaclavas and holding firearms. In between them they hold a man who is apparently their prisoner. The person wearing a balaclava in the middle reads a statement out loud. Then the masked men move to cut off the head of the prisoner. The beheading itself can (barely) not be seen. Yet the audio of the fragment remains audible. Sounds can be heard that apparently point to the beheading. After a few seconds the footage returns and one of the masked men can be seen holding the cut-off head of the prisoner up.

A page is turned again. On the new page can be read: “Quran, Surah 4, verse 89” and then: “Surah 4, verse 89: They but wish that ye should reject faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing as they, so take not friends from their ranks until they flee in the way of Allah. But if they turn renegades, seize them and kill them wherever ye find them, and take no friends or helpers from their ranks”. A voice can also be heard which (probably) presents the text in the Arabic language. The text is followed by footage of Arabic looking people who state the following: “The Islam is a sacred religion. The best religion there is. If somebody converts to Christianity he deserves the death penalty”. Another person says: “The Islam is superior compared to the Jews, the Christians, the Buddhists and the Hindus. The only law recognised by Allah is the Islam. And he who pursues anything other but the Islam shall never be accepted”. The following newspaper headlines appear on screen: “Former Muslim Jami molested”, “Islamic witch hunt again threatens”, “Death to Rushdie” and “Letter on body Theo van Gogh disclosed. Hirsi Ali also receiving death threats”.

The page is turned. It says: “Quran, Surah 8, verse 39” and then: “Surah 8, verse 39: Fight them until there is no dissension, and the religion is entirely Allah’s”. Moreover, a voice can be heard which (probably) presents this text in the Arabic language. An Ayatollah appears who says: “The Islam is a religion that wants to control the world. It did so before and shall eventually do so again”. Followed by President Ahmadinejad who says: “The message of the Revolution is global, and is not restricted to a specific place or time. Have no doubt… Allah willing, Islam will conquer what? It will conquer all the mountain tops of the world”.

Then a number of apparently Arabic men appears on screen that make the following statements:

“We have ruled the world before. And Allah willing the day shall come that we will again rule the whole world. The day shall come that we will rule over America! The day shall come that we will rule over Great Britain and the whole world!”.

“Allah ordered us to spread this religion all over the world”.

“Thou shall take over the United States! Thou shall take over the United Kingdom! Thou shall take over Europe! Thou shall conquer them all. Thou shall be victorious! Thou shall take over Egypt. We have faith in Allah!”.

Then apparently Arabic people with signs are shown. The following texts can be read: “Islam will dominate the world” and “Freedom go to hell”.

Then the following text appears: “The Netherlands is under the spell of the Islam”. Stills are shown of mosques that are most likely situated in the Netherlands. A voice can also be heard which says: “These mosques are all part of the Dutch government system”. Footage is shown of a woman dressed in a burka combined with the newspaper header “Government: no burka prohibition” as also with satellite dishes and apartment buildings. Graphs are shown of the increase of the number of Muslims in the Netherlands in the course of the years. In the graphs the years 1909, 1960, 1990 and 2004 are shown with, respectively, the following numbers: 54, 1399, 458,000 an 944,000. Next to these graphs the number of Muslims in Europe in 2007 appears. The graph increases up to 54,000,000 and continues beyond the top of the screen. In the background stills can be seen of women with headscarves, satellite dishes and Dutch police officers in uniform taking off their shoes when they apparently enter a mosque. An apparent Muslim says: “If my sister or my mother has sex with another person I will also kill them”. The interviewer asks: “Then you commit blood vengeance!” The man answers: “Absolutely”. Another apparent Muslim says: “For example, in the Netherlands you can be adulterous or gay. But I do not wish to be part of that because the Islam considers that to be a crime”. A still appears of a postcard with the text: “Greetings from the Netherlands” where you can only see mosques. Then a preach can be heard, on screen the following appears: “Said in Dutch mosques”: “They must renounce political parties and worldly bodies of thought like liberalism, democracy, socialism and everything that smells of it and originates from the human brain” and (according to the text on screen pronounced in the El Tawheed mosque): “If a married man, by the grace of Allah, commits adultery, or a married woman commits adultery, she will be stoned”.

On screen the following question is shown: “The Netherlands in the future!?”. Stills are shown of apparently homosexual men (on screen it reads: “Gays”) who are hanged, children smothered in blood (on screen it reads: “Children”), stills of a woman with a bloody knife in her hand with a child smothered in blood on her lap, a woman (on screen it reads: “Women”) with a naked lower torso tied down to a bed and then a lot of blood (she is apparently being circumcised), a chopped off head of apparently a Muslim woman (she wears a headscarf), a woman dressed in a burka at a noose and a veiled woman who is shot through her head. These scenes are concluded with a large number of newspaper headlines. An enumeration of the headlines is provided below:

Islamists seek control, politically driven Muslims gain influence in Europe
Spanish Court examines ties. Laakkwartier with Madrid in terror web
Sudanese demand execution of British ‘teddy bear lady’
Three people suspected of planning attack
Hell will break loose. “What you need is a heavy bomb attack”. “We do not agree with the freedom of speech, because we renounce democracy”, “Our alternative is the Islam”
Explosive increase blood vengeance in Amsterdam
School closes on Muslim holidays
AIVD investigation: Jihad lessons at primary school
Minister reports Rotterdam abuse cases. Free trip to Mecca via Islam school
Ankara wants Turkish in classroom here
Donner eases the rules. Foreign imams can enter country more quickly
Murderer Theo van Gogh predicts terrorist acts. Mohammed B.: “My followers are ready”
Van Gogh murdered after Fatwa announcement
Almost half of the young Moroccans anti-Western
Mosques under spell of radical Muslim group
Suicide commandos in the Netherlands
Hamas meets in Rotterdam
Alexander must swim for hours. Moroccans throw gay into the water
Imams do not like gays
‘Imam legitimises violence against gays’
‘Throw gays of high buildings’
Mosque: “Turn the Netherlands into a Muslim state”
Girls still being circumcised
‘Muslims prevent doctors from providing care to women’
Halal fund: sliced meat for Muslims. New on Amsterdam Stock Exchange
Al Qaeda issues death sentence. Jihad against Wilders
‘Quran game licence’ Arabic Specialist Hans Jansen: “You already offend the Islam by not becoming a Muslim”

Then a hand can be seen that takes up a page of the Quran. The screen then turns black and the sound of paper being torn can be heard. On screen the text appears: “The sound you just heard was a page from the telephone directory. Because it is not up to me but up to the Muslims themselves to tear the vindictive verses from the Quran. Muslims want you to give room to the Islam, but the Islam does not offer room to you.

The government wants you to respect the Islam, yet the Islam has no respect at all for you. The Islam wants to control, subdue and is out for the destruction of our Western civilisation. In 1945 Nazism was beaten in Europe. In 1989 communism was beaten in Europe. Now the Islamic ideology must be beaten. Stop the Islamisation. Defend our freedom”.

The film again concludes with the image of the cartoon of Mohammed with the turban. It can be seen that the fuse in his turban is almost near the end. A ticking clock can be heard. The clock appears on screen and counts down from 00:03 to zero. A flash of lightning can be seen and a bolt of lightning can be heard. Then the Quran is closed, the word “Fitna” is shown which flows into the word “Fin” and then the credits of the film are shown.

(Article 137d of the Dutch Criminal Code)

4.

he, on one or more dates on or about 7 October 2006, in The Hague and/or Amsterdam and/or (elsewhere in) the Netherlands, on multiple occasions, at least once, (each time) in public, orally, in writing or through images, incited to hatred of people, i.e. non-Western immigrants and/or Moroccans, based on their race, by (each time) in De Volkskrant placing (having placed) one or more texts with the following content:

(De Volkskrant of 7 October 2006, ‘The Pope is completely right’)

‘The borders are closed to all non-Western immigrants the same day.’

and/or

‘Of course. 99 percent of the people who came to live there are of an Islamic origin.’

and/or

‘Absolutely. The figures show this. One out of five Moroccan youngsters is registered with the police as a suspect. Their behaviour derives from their religion and culture. You cannot consider these two facts separately. The other day the Pope was completely right: the Islam is a violent religion. Islam means submission and conversion of non-Muslims. This interpretation rules in the living rooms of these problematic youngsters, in the mosques. It has been embedded in this community itself.’

and/or

‘Those Moroccan boys are really violent. They beat up people because of their sexual orientation. I have never used violence.’

(Article 137d of the Dutch Criminal Code)

5.

he, on one or more dates on or about 7 October 2006, in The Hague and/or Amsterdam and/or (elsewhere in) the Netherlands, on multiple occasions, at least once, (each time) in public, orally, in writing or through images, incited to discrimination, within the meaning of article 90 quarter of the Dutch Criminal Code, against people, i.e. non-Western immigrants and/or Moroccans, based on their race, by (each time) in De Volkskrant placing (having placed) one or more texts with the following content:

What happened?
The charges pertain to incitement to hatred and discrimination. What has led to these charges. Of course the abovementioned statements, but there is a little more that is important. It al started with the announcement of the movie Fitna in November 2007. According to Wilders to movie intendend to show to violent nature of Islam and the Quran (a license to kill). The police and the public prosecutor made it relatively easy to file a complaint against the movie. Immediately after its release the first complaint was filed and the forms necessary were already there. In June 2008 the public prosecutor decided however not to proceed with the prosecution because there were no unlawful elements in the movie. A strange decision. First one stimulates (before seeing the movie) people filing complaints, and then refuse to go on with it. Strange on behalf of the public prosecutor and one might add not very good for keeping confidence in the judiciary system because it stirs up things and leads people into a dead end. In January 2009 the Amsterdam appeals court orderded prosecutors to put Wilders on trial since ‘in a democratic system, hate speech is considered so serious that it is in the general interest to draw a clear line’.
Framing the trial
How is the trial sold to the public? As said above, the authorities view the general in terms of ‘general interest to draw a clear line’. It appears to be self-evident that drawing a clear line is a good thing. One can wonder about that. The decision not to prosecute was made because of the context of the public debate in which the film was made which (needs to) leave room for people to make strong statements. In both cases we can see the reaction of the authorities as an attempt to de-politicize the whole issue by bringing it in and out and in again in the judicial system. This of course does not work. Wilders frames it different and contrary to the views of the authorities:
Wilders loses appeal, will go on trial | MediaWatchWatch

It is a political trial. I am being prosecuted for saying about Islam what millions of Dutch people think. Freedom of speech is in danger of being sacrificed on the altar of Islam.

Is it? When one views freedom of speech as an absolute inalienable right, yes that this is correct. Note however that there have been other people wanting to trial Wilders for his film as well. Kurt Westergaard, one of the cartoonists of the infamous Muhammad Cartoons, claimed that Wilders was wrong in using the cartoon of the prophet Muhammad with a bomb-turban and that this infringed Westergaard’s copyright. Dutch director Rob Muntz announced to do the same because Wilders used fragments of Muntz’s interview with the late Theo van Gogh without crediting him. Of course these are complaints based upon secular regulations and not on religious feelings and convictions. Freedom of speech therefore is never absolute but always regulated and one’s freedom of speech should not damage another person. The court’s decision to prosecute is also in line with a previous decision in which a particular statement was not seen as inciting on its own, but it did within the particular context it was made. Other groups (including the people who made the complaints, a wide range of actors ranging from lawyers to one of the Salafi mosques in the Netherlands) have tried to frame it as incitement to hatred, insulting a religious group AND blashpemy. The latter however was turned down. The law on blasphemy is very strict and it is not even clear if making insulting comments about the prophet Muhammad is liable. See for more juridical details the brief by my Radboud University colleague Ybo Buruma. Framing it as blasphemy can be seen as attempt by religious status quo the protect the existing status quo, while making a movie bound to be experienced as blasphemous can be seen as an attack on that status quo. The same line of reasoning can be made with regard to incitement to hatred and discrimination and insulting a religious group. In both cases people want to defend their group from attacks that might be disruptive and threatening to the integrity of the group.
Questions for analysis
One of the things that matter to me in my analysis is what this trial means for the religious-secular divide in this country. How are religious arguments viewed and how do religious group adjust to secular language in order to defend their claims. The other thing is how secularism plays a role here. The freedom of speech is a secular freedom, but how is it politically used by groups to mobilise people and legitimate their political actions. What does the politicization of the freedom of speech mean and what disciplining aspects play a role. And how does all of this more specific to (debates about) Islam in society? A next issue pertains to ‘group’. A group is not a thing in and of itself, groups are created for example by speaking about offending a ‘religious group’. The group is constructed on the basis of adherence to a religion, notwithstanding the fact that many people who filed complaints are not Muslim or religious at all. How does the notion of freedom of speech play a role in construction of a group as a coherent, cleary defined category of people.  Another thing I have been asking myself is also whether or not it makes a difference in the court case that Wilders is lying and cheating about Islam and Muslims as I have shown in my analysis of Fitna? Another issue is, and I think this makes the case of the people who filed the complaints and the public prosecutor weaker, is that Wilders is often quoting and/or referring to statements made by others? Can you be convicted for that even if it leads to a chain of falseness and hatred? Probably only (and I think that is a general weak point in these cases) if you take a person’s intentions into the decision-making process. But a person’s intentions are always hidden, you can never know a person’s real intentions and even so, thoughts about wanting kill someone or hate someone are not illegal. Many more questions will come up of course and if you have additional questions let me know. I will try to cover the trial day by day and take these questions into account as well as accounts of experiences by those who support Wilders and those support the complaints against him and others.

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