The Piranha Trial: Friend or Foe?

Posted on November 6th, 2006 by .
Categories: Murder on theo Van Gogh and related issues, Religious and Political Radicalization, Young Muslims.

Six alleged Muslim radicals with links to the murderer of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh stood on trial  (the so called Piranha trial) the last weeks accused of plotting terrorist attacks on Dutch politicians and government buildings. The main suspect is 20-year-old Samir Azzouz. He was acquitted in 2005 on terrorism charges but re-arrested in October 2005 on suspicion of planning attacks against politicians and the Dutch intelligence service headquarters. Azzouz has been linked to the so-called Hofstad Islamic extremist group led by Mohammed Bouyeri, who was sentenced in 2005 to life imprisonment for the November 2004 murder of van Gogh – an outspoken critic of (radical) Islam. Nine members of the group were convicted in the Hofstad-trial for up to 15 years for membership of a criminal and terrorist organisation. Azzouz was not been formally charged with belonging to that group, however.

Samir A. has been under surveillance of Dutch authorities since 2003 when he made a futile attempt to travel to Chechnya to join the separatist war there. He was arrested in October 2003 on suspicion of planning to manufacture a bomb but was released for lack of evidence. (He lacked the necessary ingredients for making a bomb). In June 2004 he was re-arrested after police said they found chemicals, plans of government buildings and maps which was the cause for a major terror alarm in the Netherlands. He was again acquitted after an appeals court found that his “clumsy” plans did not represent a solid threat. Prosecutors now claim they have stronger evidence that Azzouz and the other five suspects were planning an attack, including a video testament. In that testament he appears in Bin-Laden-like attire with a machine gun leaning against the wall behind him. On the video he says among other things: “We must prepare to die today. […] I say to you that between us and you there will only be the language of the sword until you leave Muslims alone.

Prosecutors today asked to sentence six youngsters to prison terms of up to 15 years for allegedly conspiring to commit a terrorist attack on Dutch politicians, possibly including Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and former MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the creative partner of slain filmmaker Theo van Gogh. The heaviest sentence was demanded for Samir Azzouz, the group’s alleged ringleader: 15 years. They also urged to sentence 15 years of prison for Mohammed Chentouf who was considered to be a key person in the group. Lesser sentences were demanded for four other suspects (ranging from 12 years to one year) who were seen as taking a less active role as the other two. The verdict is expected Nov. 23.

Evidence against the suspects includes weapons, an alleged videotaped suicide testament, bomb-making manuals and radical Islamist propaganda. With regard to the latter, also other material (not radical) was found but that was not included in the trial. The evidence also includes a tapped telephone call between Azzouz and a convicted terrorist implying that an attack was imminent. In addition, two alleged members of the group testified against Azzouz and the others. For the prosecution this amounts to a very clear cut conclusion: this group was planning the terrorist murder of one or more politicians by means of a weapon or by detonating an explosive.

The defense lawyers (of course) think otherwise. They will give closing statements Wednesday and claim that the suspects are innocent and victims of police harassment. They claim that the two witnesses, Lahbib and Hanan Bachar, are unreliable and were themselves suspects in the case. All the suspects they claim were friends but not an organization and the prosecutors could not link much of the evidence (including the weapons) to the subjects. Azzouz stated during the trial that the video testament was just a joke, and that he would never kill somebody in the Netherlands, because in his view that is forbidden in Islam.

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Protected: nrc.nl – Binnenland – Linker dan Mohammed B.

Posted on November 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: International Terrorism, Murder on theo Van Gogh and related issues, Religious and Political Radicalization.

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news@nature.com – Islam and science, 2006

Posted on November 6th, 2006 by .
Categories: Misc. News, Uncategorized.

news@nature.com – Islam and science, 2006
ISLAM AND SCIENCE

In many countries with large Muslim populations the pendulum of power is swinging away from secular (but mostly undemocratic) government back to where it was for many centuries: to Islamist regimes, and Islamic law. What does this mean for Muslim scientists and science? For a very long time, Muslim states have scored badly on measures of science and technology. Will things be any better or worse under the new Islamist governments? Visit the newsblog to read and post comments on Islam and science.

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Protected: Trouw, deVerdieping| opvoeding_onderwijs – Gedragsproblemen / Met de schooljeugd gaat het prima

Posted on November 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

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Protected: Trouw, deVerdieping| opvoeding_onderwijs – Gedragsproblemen / Met de schooljeugd gaat het prima

Posted on November 6th, 2006 by martijn.
Categories: Misc. News.

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