Poppycock from The Times in the Best Neville Chamberlain Tradition! Blond bombshell Geert Wilders Returns to Britain, Looking for a Fight
Geert Wilders. Photo: Times Online
My oh my, Geert Wilders really does seem to have got you rattled, Mr Macintyre.

But let’s get some facts straight. Geert Wilders is not “far-right” just because he states truths that you, Mr Macintyre, don’t want to hear. This is clearly a case of shooting the messenger, and one of trying to shoot him down with ad hominem attacks. Geert Wilders is merely pointing out the dangers of the growth of Islam in his country. The Channel 4 documentary, Dispatches, entitled 'Britain's Islamic Republic', testifies to the validity of what Mr Wilders says.

In a free society, we should be allowed to hear and say things which may not be popular. It’s called ‘free speech’, remember? It’s what our ancestors died for.

So if Muslims don’t want to hear what Mr Wilders has to say, then it’s just too bad. We so-called infidels don’t want to hear half the nonsense and abuse that Muslims come out with either, but nobody has the courage to shut them up. By the way, Mr Macintyre, it’s Muslims who are trying to kill us, not the other way round. Your logic seems to be warped and twisted. – © Mark

TIMES ONLINE: Boyish, topped with a bouffant mane of bleached blond hair, cheerful and cherubic, Geert Wilders is the unlikely new face of the far Right in Europe. But appearances are deceptive. The leader of the Dutch anti-immigration Freedom Party has emerged as one of the most divisive politicians in Europe, the purveyor of a virulent brand of anti-Islamic rhetoric that calls for a tax on Islamic headscarves and a ban on the Koran, which he likens to Mein Kampf.

Mr Wilders is facing trial in a Dutch court for “inciting hatred”. Last year he was banned from Britain and turned away at Heathrow when he arrived here planning to show his short film, an incendiary anti-Islamic diatribe that the Dutch Prime Minister described as serving “no purpose other than to offend”.

On Friday, after successfully appealing against the Home Office ban, Mr Wilders will return to Britain at the invitation of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) to show his controversial film to an invited audience at the House of Lords. The English Defence League is expected to demonstrate in his support and Muslim groups are all but certain to mount protests.

To his enemies, the 46-year-old Dutchman is an old-fashioned racist demagogue in a new suit; a bottle-blond bigot. To his growing ranks of supporters he is a champion of free speech, a bulwark against what he calls “the Islamic invasion of Holland”. He may be dismissed by some as a crank but he is an increasingly powerful and popular one. On February 20 the Dutch centrist coalition Government collapsed, deeply divided over keeping troops in Afghanistan, paving the way for a general election in June in which the Freedom Party is expected to do extremely well. Polls suggest that the party will triple its tally of seats, becoming at least the second-biggest parliamentary party and quite possibly the overall winner. Mr Wilders is likely to be a key player in any coalition, with a profound impact on the political agenda. >>> Ben Macintyre | Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Geert Wilders Doesn’t Get His Way in Court
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: Dutch politician Geert Wilders was visibly annoyed when he failed to get what he asked for from the three judges hearing his case at the Amsterdam District Court.

Mr Wilders, through his lawyer Bram Moszkowicz, had requested that 17 witnesses testify as part of his defence against charges that include inciting hatred of Muslims and non-western immigrants.
 


Murderer


Among others, Mr Wilders had asked that Mohammed Bouyeri, the convicted murderer of Theo van Gogh, be called as a expert witness.
 


The judges, however, will not allow Bouyeri to testify. They have also ruled that other 'Muslim extremists' on Mr Wilders' 'wishlist' will not be allowed to testify. The list includes Fawaz Jneid, imam at the Soennah Mosque in The Hague, and Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, chairman of the Guardian Council in Iran.

Ex-Muslims

Mr Wilders will be permitted to call three experts on Islam, out of the total of eight he had actually asked for. However, two ex-Muslims called by his defence team - in part to give their personal view about the impact of Islam - were also rejected.
 


In their ruling, the judges say Mr Wilders will have ample opportunity to tell the court whether he agrees with their decision to disallow some of his chosen witnesses[.] Staying in Amsterdam >>> John Tyler | Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Court Limits Wilders' Witness List
DUTCHNEWS.nl: The killer of Theo van Gogh and 14 of the other witnesses anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders wanted to call in his defence against charges of discrimination and inciting hatred have been ruled inadmissible by Amsterdam district court.

But three Islam experts proposed by Wilders will be heard behind closed doors, the judges said on Wednesday afternoon. They include American Syrian psychiatrist Wafa Sultan who believes the world is witness to 'a battle between modernity and barbarism which Islam will lose'.

The court also turned down Wilders' request to hear five legal experts on the grounds that the MP will have ample opportunity to say whether or not he agrees with them during the trial. He had wanted to call 18 experts and Muslim radicals. Truth >>> © DutchNews.nl | Wednesday, February 03, 2010

A Triumphant Day for Geert Wilders in the Netherlands
TELEGRAPH: Geert Wilders' far-Right anti-immigration party made significant gains in the European Parliament elections in the Netherlands on Thursday, according to exit polls.

Geert Wilders, who was banned from Britain by the Home Office because of his controversial views on Islam, won support from Protestant and Catholic voters. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
The European Parliament elections had been widely expected to punish governments struggling to cope with the global economic crisis, and polls released by the ANP news agency and broadcaster NOS put the Right-wing Freedom Party on course to win four of the 25 Dutch seats in the parliament, after having none in the previous assembly. This put Mr Wilders' party second only to the ruling Christian Democrats, which got nearly 20 per cent of votes, according to the poll.

Mr Wilders, who was banned from Britain by the Home Office because of his controversial views on Islam, won support from Protestant and Catholic voters disenchanted with what has been perceived as the growing influence of the nation's 800,000 Muslims, many of them immigrants from Morocco and Turkey.

Mr Wilders, whose party was contesting European elections for the first time, campaigned on an anti-EU platform and criticised Turkey's bid to join the EU.

"Should Turkey as an Islamic country be able to join the European Union? We are the only party in Holland that says, it is an Islamic country, so no, not in 10 years, not in a million years," he said. Dutch Far-Right Comes Second in European Parliament Election >>> | Thursday, June 04, 2009

NRC HANDELSBLAD INTERNATIONAL: Wilders Big Winner of Dutch EU Elections

The Party for Freedom of the populist politician Geert Wilders becomes the second biggest party representing in the Netherlands in Europe.

Geert Wilders and his populist Party for Freedom (PVV) appeared to be the big winners of Thursday's elections for European parliament in the Netherlands. Exit polls released soon after the Dutch voting stations closed at 9 p.m. on Thursday evening predicted he would get four of the 25 Dutch seats in the European parliament, making the PVV the second largest of all Dutch parties in Brussels.
Wilders, who has become popular in the Netherlands running on an anti-Islam and anti-political establishment platform, promised voters he would be tough on immigration and criticised Turkey's bid to join the EU. "Should Turkey as an Islamic country be able to join the European Union? We are the only party in Holland that says, it is an Islamic country, so no, not in 10 years, not in a million years," Wilders said. >>> NRC Handelsblad News Desk | Thursday, June 04, 2009

Wilders to Take Council Seat in the Hague
DUTCHNEWS.nl: Geert Wilders is to take a seat on the Hague city council after winning 13,000 preference votes in last week's local elections.

Earlier Wilders, who is a sitting MP, said he would not take up a seat if he won. His anti-Islam party PVV emerged as the second biggest party in the political capital, with 17% of the vote.

'I am going to see if I can combine it. I will give it a go for a while,' Wilders was reported as saying.

The news means two of the eight PVV councillors in the Hague's new city council will combine their work with being members of parliament. [Source: DutchNews.nl] | Monday, March 08, 2010

Niederlande: Rechtspopulist Wilders wird Stadtrat
DIE PRESSE: Der niederländische Rechtspopulist und Parlamentarier Geert Wilders nimmt nun auch ein Mandat als Stadtrat in Den Haag an. "Ich werde es auf jeden Fall eine Zeit lang versuchen", kündigt Wilders an.

Nach dem Erfolg seiner Partei für die Freiheit (PVV) bei den niederländischen Kommunalwahlen wird der Rechtspopulist Geert Wilders künftig im Stadtrat von Den Haag sitzen. Eine Sprecherin der Stadt bestätigte am Montag, dass Wilders sein Mandat wahrnehmen werde. Der umstrittene Politiker sagte der niederländischen Nachrichtenagentur ANP, er habe sich nach anfänglichem Zögern für das Amt des Stadtrats entschieden. "Ich werde es auf jeden Fall eine Zeit lang versuchen", sagte er. Wilders ist auch Abgeordneter des niederländischen Parlaments. Platz zwei für Wilders in Den Haag >>> Ag. | Montag, 08. März 2010

Wilders Feels Persecuted in "Political Process"
NRC HANDELSBLAD: Geert Wilders was “completely surprised” when he heard on Wednesday that the appeals court of Amsterdam ruled he shall be prosecuted for hate speech and inciting discrimination. Last year the public prosecutor had decided not to try the controversial Dutch member of parliament for his remarks about Islam. In an interview with NRC Handelsblad Wilders says he is "shaken, but also very angry and ready to fight."

"The public prosecutor agreed with me, that I can say what I said. The attorney general at the appeals court has argued the same. I never thought that things would turn out this way," Wilders says. Because of the appeals court ruling, the public prosecutor is forced to prosecute Wilders for statements such as "ban the Koran" and "the core of the problem is fascist Islam", statements Wilders has made in the media and his own film Fitna. >>> By Herman Staal | Friday, January 23, 2009

NRC HANDELSBLAD – Editorial: Wilders' Never-ending Story

The appeals court in Amsterdam on Thursday issued a ruling which will echo for years and have major political implications. The court takes a hard line against the radical politician Geert Wilders and issued an extensively outlined order to charge Wilders with hate speech and inciting discrimination. That a lower court is now at liberty to give a dissenting verdict, after the appeals court has already ruled in such strong wording, is an illusion. The limits on freedom of speech for politicians have hereby been set.

So for years to come, the courtroom will be the most important arena of debate about Muslims in the Netherlands. The focus will be on the criminal nature of Wilders' statements first, and only second on their validity - or lack thereof. That is not anything to look forward to. Further escalation and polarisation are on the horizon.

NRC Handelsblad has stated before that the position of Muslims in the Netherlands is not so weak that the criminal justice system needs to protect them against Wilders. The open political debate offers enough space to put him in his place. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has approved curtailing offensive political statements in several European member states. But only if sanctions against such statements are proportional - usually very limited. If the Dutch penal code is to come into play here at any point, sanctions can therefor only be restricted. Otherwise they are deemed by Strasbourg to be illegal. >>> Editorial, NRC Handelsblad | Saturday, January 24, 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback – The Netherlands) >>>

A Conservative Hero Visits the US – What We Can Learn from Geert Wilders
RENEW AMERICA: Appearing briefly on Fox's Glenn Beck show Feb 23, 2009, Dutch Freedom Party MP, Geert Wilders said "we should throw out every bit of hate crime legislation that is ever proposed." Why would he say this and why should we take him seriously?

Besides being asked to leave Great Britain on his arrival there outcast Wilders is also slated for trial for his recent video production of his anti-Koran piece called "Fitna." Wilders is a common sense kind of man with a strong heart for the principles of free speech and an eye for anything that smacks of the strangling of freedom under the feigned hypocrisy of political correctness.

While the trend in conservative reporting in media is full of dire warnings, the Obama administration is barreling ahead with a socialist doctrine and fiscal quackery that seems little affected by anyone's warnings. Top conservative shows are laced with pop quizzes, comedy and laughing at left wing absurdities and general debate Wilders seems more focused and his warnings point back to the social trends of pre-war Germany. Those trends gave the world the Nazi menace that cost the lives of millions, shouldn't we give wilders center stage and our ears?

Wilders has clearly stated that he does not hate Muslims but he hates Islam. In America where our very foundations are all Christian and biblically based the slow apostasy of American Christendom has eroded our understanding of our own Christian beginnings. How then can we be expected to understand Wilder's statement about Islam?

Wilders contends that the Koran is a fascist book on the same level as Hitler's Mein Kampf and that Islam is a Trojan horse that has already been received by Europe and the belly of that horse has already spilled out on the continent with the Islamification of Europe proceeding in all haste. Europe may well become Eurabia according to Wilders if the current coddling of Muslim extremists and the courting of Sharia law are not stopped.

Wilders has made note that while he sees free speech being throttled for the sake of "peace with the Muslims," a Muslim cleric can pronounce a Jihad on a county or an individual with relative impunity. It is reported that al-Qaeda called for the assassination of Wilders immediately after the release of his film and his reward from his own country was a lawsuit invoked by what the Netherlander constabulary sees as an attempt to "incite hatred." >>> By Michael Bresciani | Wednesday, February 25, 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback (US) Barnes & Noble >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Hardcover (US) Barnes & Noble >>>

Geert Wilders: Der radikale Volkstribun
DIE PRESSE: Nach den niederländischen Kommunalwahlen ist der Rechtspopulist Wilders im Aufwind. Der Mann mit dem gefärbten Blondschopf setzt auf Islamkritik und innere Sicherheit. Die Anschläge von 9/11 haben ihn radikalisiert.

Innerhalb von nur einer Woche erlebte Geert Wilders zwei ganz große Triumphe. Der erste war sein Wahlsieg bei den Kommunalwahlen in den Niederlanden, bei denen er mit seiner „Partei für die Freiheit“ (PVV) in der Stadt Almere stärkste politische Kraft wurde; am Regierungssitz in Den Haag stieg die PVV zur zweitgrößten Partei knapp hinter den Sozialdemokraten auf. Seinen zweiten Triumph feierte der Mann mit dem blondierten Haupthaar in London. Dort zeigte er im britischen Parlament seinen islamkritischen Film „Fitna“ („Zwiespalt“) und feuerte erneut Tiraden gegen den Islam ab: Da nannte er den Propheten Mohammed einen „Barbaren, Massenmörder und Pädosexuellen“, da bezeichnete er den türkischen Ministerpräsidenten Erdoğan „Mafkees“, als Spinner.

Der Auftritt von Wilders in London war für den Niederländer deshalb ein großer Erfolg, weil ihm das britische Innenministerium 2009 noch die Einreise ins Vereinigte Königreich mit der Begründung verweigert hatte, Wilders gefährde die öffentliche Sicherheit. Wilders klagte. Ein Londoner Gericht gab ihm recht – mit der Begründung, dass Wilders auch in Großbritannien von seinem Recht auf freie Meinungsäußerung Gebrauch machen könne. >>> Von Helmut Hetzel (Den Haag) (Die Presse) | Samstag, 06. März 2010

DIE WELTWOCHE – Auszug: In den internationalen Medien wird Wilders als extremer Rechtsaussen dargestellt. Das ist er nicht. Seine Gegner und ungenügend informierte ausländische Berichterstatter übernehmen gern die Kritik politisch korrekter niederländischer Politiker und Journalisten. Wilders ist hochgewachsen, er hat eine auffällige Haartracht, und wenn man ihm persönlich begegnet, frappiert der grosse Kontrast zwischen seinem Image in den ausländischen Medien – der Kryptofaschist – und dem sanftmütigen, fröhlichen Menschen, der er in Wirklichkeit ist.

Wilders ist ein leidenschaftlicher Populist, der ganz genau weiss, wann er die Medien mit extremen Äusserungen provozieren kann. Er hat eine breitgefächerte Anhängerschaft von Sozialisten bis hin zu Konservativen, die sich allesamt Sorgen um die Zukunft des Wohlfahrtsstaats machen – der per definitionem nur Bestand hat, wenn die Solidargemeinschaft zu den Werten des Nationalstaats steht.

Wilders wahrt achtsam Distanz zu Parteien und Gruppierungen, die als rechtsradikal eingestuft werden. Täte er das nicht, würde er seine Anhänger in den Niederlanden sofort verlieren. Setzt er seinen Vormarsch fort und verdrängt die arrivierten Parteien, dann kann er, falls er nicht ermordet wird, die Fahne Fortuyns nach den nächsten Wahlen in die Räume des Ministerpräsidenten tragen. Ein sanftmütiger, fröhlicher Mensch >>> Von Leon de Winter* | Mittwoch, 10. Juni 2010

*Leon de Winter ist Autor verschiedener Romane, Drehbücher und Erzählungen.

Aus dem Niederländischen von Hanni ­Ehlers

First Day in Wilders Trial
NRC HANDELSBLAD INTERNATIONAL: The trial of the Dutch politician Geert Wilders, began this Wednesday.

The lead judge of the court started off by addressing Geert Wilders, leader of the populist PVV party, directly. The judge said that while the media might have portrayed his case as foregone, his court “would not cast judgment before the last word has been spoken”.

It is quite uncommon for judges to reassure their suspects that they will receive a fair trial. But it seems little in the case against Wilders will be business as usual. On Wednesday morning, hundreds of Wilders’ sympathizers were gathered outside the Amsterdam courtroom where Wilders was on trial for group slander and inciting discrimination and violence. A large number of Wilder’s statements to the media and his anti-Islam film Fitna will be presented as evidence. A comparison Wilders drew between the Koran and Hitler’s Mein Kampf is one of his remarks now under legal scrutiny.

Witnesses to be called

The hearing on Wednesday was formal in nature, establishing a general schedule for the trial. The defence and prosecution will be presenting their cases later this year. The first outlines of the case became clear on Wednesday however. The court will have to decide who can be called as a witness by Thursday. Wilders has said he feels that Islam should be on trial instead of him. In an attempt to prove that Islam provokes evil, he wants to call Theo van Gogh’s murderer, Mohammed B., as a witness. He also hopes to call a number of Dutch scholars who have voiced criticism of Islam in the past. The court might limit or expand the scope of the trial by allowing or barring certain witnesses.

Wednesday’s formal hearing kicked off with a number of preliminary motions in which the defence argued why Wilders should not be tried in the first place. His lawyer, Bram Moszkowicz, named several. He argued that Wilders should not be tried in Amsterdam, but in The Hague, where he lives. Moszkowicz also argued that the scope of the charges against Wilders had been extended unjustly when the public prosecutor chose to try him for inciting hatred against non-western migrant communities and Moroccans. The prosecution had not yet responded when this article was written. Already convicted? >>> Merel Thie | Wednesday, January 20, 2010

New Dark Age Alert! Hero on Trial in the Netherlands
TIMES ONLINE: The Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders was greeted with applause from the public gallery as he faced court for the first day of his landmark trial on charges of inciting racial hatred against Muslims.

Mr Wilders, 46, sat impassively as his lawyer argued that the leader of the Freedom Party, which made big gains at last summer's European elections, had made his critical remarks about Islam in his role as an elected Member of Parliament.

Bram Moszkowicz said that Mr Wilders had a mandate to speak out against what he saw as the Islamisation of the Netherlands and argued that he had not discriminated against a specific national group, saving his attacks for the ideology of political Islam.

Around 200 supporters of Mr Wilders had travelled from as far as Cologne in Germany to hold up placards declaring that free speech was under assault by Islam and by the politically correct. The case is being watched as a test of the limits of political tolerance in the Netherlands after years of relaxed immigration policies which have seen the Musim population rise to around 1 million out of 16 million.

"This case is about more than Mr Wilders," Mr Moszkowicz told Amsterdam District Court this morning. "It touches us all. It is such an important and principled question that could have far-reaching consequences."

Mr Wilders faces a 70-page charge sheet covering five counts of breaking Dutch law on incitement and discriminiation against Muslims in more than 100 public statements, for example by likenening the Koran to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf and calling for an end to the "Islamic invasion."

The alleged offences include Mr Wilders' film Fitna, which shows images of 9/11 and beheadings interspersed with verses from the Koran. It ends with a the controverisal Danish cartoon of the prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb as a turban. Far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders on trial for anti-Muslim stance >>> David Charter in Amsterdam | Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Islam-Gegner Wilders in den Niederlanden vor Gericht: Alle Anschuldigungen beim Prozessauftakt bestritten
NZZ ONLINE: Zu Beginn seines Prozesses wegen angeblicher Anstachelung zum Hass gegen Muslime hat der niederländische Rechtspopulist Geert Wilders alle Vorwürfe der Volksverhetzung zurückgewiesen.

Die ihm zur Last gelegten kritischen Äusserungen über Muslime, den Koran und den Islam seien «ein substanzieller Beitrag zur öffentlichen Debatte» und keineswegs strafbar, erklärte Wilders Abraham Moszkowicz vor Gericht in Amsterdam.

Der Gründer und Chef der Partei für die Freiheit (PVV) habe seine Islam-Kritik zudem stets in seiner Eigenschaft als Abgeordneter des niederländischen Parlaments vorgebracht und müsse daher Immunität geniessen. Gerichtsgebäude abgeriegelt >>> sda/dpa | Mittwoch, 20. Januar 2010

MEIN KOMMENTAR: So nervös sind wir des Islams wegen in Europa geworden, daß harmlose Kommentare wie dieser, aus Angst, werden nicht mehr gedruckt:

In Europa ist es so weit gekommen, daß wir nicht mehr aussprechen dürfen, was für ein Gefahr für unsere Zivilisation und unsere Freiheit Islam ist. Erstaunlich! Blödsinnig! Dumm! Wir begehen Selbstmord! – © Mark

Dutch Parties Tussle Over Approach to Far Right: Labour Figure Calls On Others to Keep Wilders Out of Govt
REUTERS: Wilders, other politicians blast move as undemocratic / Blocking approach could push more voters towards far right

AMSTERDAM - A Dutch Labour politician's call to keep far-right leader Geert Wilders out of a new government has stirred anger among other parties who consider the move undemocratic and likely to drive voters towards him.

Wilders and his Freedom Party have been a focus of debate since the Dutch cabinet collapsed on Saturday, as the election on June 9 will be a key opportunity for the anti-immigration group to increase its influence after a stunning success at European elections last year.

Frans Timmermans, a Labour party member and minister for European affairs, said on Monday that Labour would refuse to govern in coalition with Wilders' party, and called on other parties to consider a similar approach.

"The Labour party stands for a completely different Holland than the party of Wilders, and for that reason we cannot be in a government with him," a Labour spokeswoman said.

"He (Timmermans) dared other parties to think the same thing. Do they want to be in a government that segregates people by race and religion?"

Wilders has described the call as an "arrogant" attempt to ringfence his Freedom Party (PVV) and said it was an insult to the democratic system, telling Dutch media "the voter will seek punishment for this". >>> Catherine Hornby | Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Bitter Election Campaign Looms
NRC HANDELSBLAD INTERNATIOBAL: Cleaning up the economy is the issue for the upcoming parliamentary election. How many seats will Wilders get? And what possible coalition could rule? These are the main questions now.

The election campaign kicked off just minutes after the Dutch cabinet collapsed at 4 am Saturday morning. Geert Wilders’ populist PVV party was the first to send out a press release, entitled “PVV is ready for new elections”. The Socialist Party issued one an hour later and left wing liberal D66 followed quickly.

The fall of the latest cabinet led by Jan Peter Balkenende brings some interesting political times, fraught with uncertainty and excitement. New parliamentary elections will be held in three months or so. A definitive date should be set this week.

The campaign is gearing up to be a repeat performance of the 2002 election, marked by the rise and fall of the populist right-wing politician Pim Fortuyn. Fortuyn was assassinated just one week before the election, but his threat to the traditional balance of power had made political leaders from all sides lash out in an unusually bitter election campaign.

This time, populist politician Geert Wilders seems set to play the part of Fortuyn. While he may lack the charisma of the late politician, he is very proficient at generating publicity and dominating public debate.

The main question is: how will the centre-right CDA deal with him? Will the Christian democrats seek cooperation with a party that agitates so loudly against Islam? Wilders has already created a possible deal breaker: he wants to maintain the age for state pensions at 65. Raising the age of eligibility to 67 was the only major cutback decision the fallen cabinet had taken. >>> Herman Staal | Monday, February 22, 2010

Geert Wilders on Bill O’Reilly’s The Factor, February 23, 2009

PAJAMAS MEDIA: A Dutch Hero Comes to Warn Us, Seek Our Support. The Incomparable Geert Wilders, MP, in New York City

“I have come to warn you of a great threat. Free speech is no longer a given, we must now battle for our birthright. We are looking at the end of democracy, the slavery of women, the death of gays. While there might be moderate Muslims, there is no such thing as moderate Islam. Islam is not a religion, it is a political and totalitarian ideology.”

Some would say that these are fighting words.

Indeed, Dutch parliamentarian, Geert Wilders, is fighting for Western liberty and Western values, as rooted in the legacies of “Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem.” This is the legacy he wishes to leave the “children of Europe,” as opposed to the legacy of “Mecca and Gaza.” Wilders is fighting for us all, his fight is our fight. As he said earlier today, “it is not about (him) but about Free Speech.” Today he may be a “criminal, tomorrow, anyone of us might be considered a criminal too,” for telling the truth about the danger that Islam poses to Western democracy. “Today I may be put behind bars. I am not the issue. Will free speech be put behind bars?”

“It is not 8:55pm. It is 11:55pm. We will lose everything.”

Wilders is very blond, quite trim, and well tailored, both matter-of-fact and charming in a way that does not come across in still photos. Wilders’ Dutch and Scandinavian entourage: other members of Parliament, such as Barry Madlener, of the Party of Freedom, (PVV), with whom I sat, and Lars Hedegaard, (the head of The Free Speech Society–Denmark), were all impossibly handsome, healthy, fluent in English, and heartbreakingly serious.

“The Left has hated Christianity for decades. Now, it demands respect for Islam. Guess why? The Left and Islam are both opposed to criticism of any kind. Where the Left and Islam come together, freedom will always suffer.”

Wilders attributes the erosion of Western sanity and courage to the infernal doctrine of “multicultural relativism which has fatefully weakened the West.” Such politically correct beliefs have led to the liberal Dutch Labor Party’s initiation of the lawsuit against Wilders. While the public prosecutor’s office declined to prosecute Wilders for “hate speech,” (hundreds of people wrote to the Prosecutors on Wilders’ behalf), the liberals appealed their ruling to the High Court in Amsterdam which actually overruled the public prosecutor’s decision. Wilders is on his way to appeal this last decision in the Dutch Supreme Court. He says, wryly, that the lawsuits may last until 2015. >>> Phyllis Chesler | Monday, February 23, 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback (US) Barnes & Noble >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Hardcover (US) Barnes & Noble >>>

Dutch Lawmaker to Make Sequel to Anti-Islamic Film
EURONEWS 24: THE HAGUE, Netherlands - A Dutch lawmaker is planning to make a sequel to the anti-Islamic film that sparked protests among Muslims around the world.


Geert Wilders said in an interview published Thursday in a Dutch newspaper that the film will likely come out next year.


He said it will not be a copy of Fitna, the film he released on the Internet last year that coupled images of terror attacks with verses from the Quran.


This is the next phase, Wilders said in the interview printed in De Telegraaf. >>> Mark of EuroNews 24 | Thursday, April 16, 2009

WELT ONLINE: Niederlande: Rechtspopulist Wilders plant neuen Anti-Islam-Film

WELT ONLINE: Der umstrittene niederländische Parlamentarier Geert Wilders plant für das nächste Jahr ein weiteres islamkritisches Video. Darin wolle er auf die Folgen einer Masseneinwanderung aus islamischen Ländern hinweisen und Problemlösungen aufzeigen. Für die Verwirklichung des Projekts sucht er noch Geldgeber.

Geert Wilders. Photo courtesy of The Telegraph
Der holländische Rechtspopulist Geert Wilders hat mit der Ankündigung eines neuen Anti-Islam-Films Terrorismus-Bekämpfer alarmiert.

Politische Parteien und Muslim-Verbände in den Niederlanden reagierten hingegen zurückhaltend auf Wilders' Erklärung, er werde mit professioneller Hilfe aus den USA eine Fortsetzung seines vor einem Jahr heftig umstrittenen Internet-Films „Fitna“ produzieren. „Fitna 2“ werde die Folgen einer zunehmenden „Islamisierung“ des Westens deutlich machen.



Die Sicherheitsdienste prüften nun, welche Auswirkungen die Ankündigung möglicherweise für die Bedrohungssituation in den Niederlanden hat, erklärte ein Sprecher der Anti-Terrorismus-Behörde (NCTB). Dies sei die übliche Reaktion. Nach Einschätzung der Behörde war durch Wilders ersten Film die Gefahr von Anschlägen gewachsen.

Innenministerin Guusje ter Horst hatte Anfang April erklärt, die Bedrohungslage sei noch so ernst, dass die zweithöchste Alarmstufe „substanziell“ aufrechterhalten bleiben müsse.

Sie verwies dabei auch auf den Afghanistan-Einsatz der niederländischen Streitkräfte. Deshalb sowie wegen mutmaßlicher Beleidigungen des Islam, unter anderem durch „Fitna“, blieben die Niederlande in den Augen von muslimischen Extremisten ein „legitimes Angriffsziel“.

"Fitna 2" werde Anfang 2010 veröffentlicht, sagte Wilders der Zeitung „De Telegraaf“. „Ich habe dafür Hilfsangebote von Leuten aus New York und Hollywood, die schon Filme gemacht haben, die bei uns in den Kinos zu sehen waren“, fügte Wilders hinzu, ohne Namen zu nennen. >>> dpa/KNA/fsl | Donnerstag, 16. April 2009

Geert Wilders Anti-Islam Film Gets House of Lords Screening
THE GUARDIAN: Dutch far right politician, who was last year banned from the UK, said film showing was a 'victory for freedom of speech'

The controversial far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders appeared at the House of Lords today to screen an anti-Islam film and denounce the religion as "totalitarian" and incompatible with democracy.

The visit, which was originally planned for last year, sparked demonstrations from anti-fascists and a show of support from the far-right English Defence League.

Wilders, 46, who leads the Freedom party, was banned from the UK when Jacqui Smith was home secretary. She said his presence had the potential to "threaten community harmony and therefore public safety".

Wilders succeeded in getting the ban overturned and told a press conference that he had screened his film in the Lords and discussed it afterwards in what he termed a "victory for freedom of speech".

"I had to debate with people who disagreed with me and people who agreed with me," he said.

Wilders said he had "nothing against Muslims whatsoever" but Islam was a "totalitarian religion".

"Islamism and democracy are incompatible. The more Islam we have, the more freedom we will lose and this is something worth fighting for."

Wilders, whose film describes the Koran as a fascist book, has received death threats for denouncing Islam and has been under close protection for more than five years.

This afternoon he repeated the views that have angered Muslims in Europe and across the globe, saying Islam was a "fascist ideology", "a violent and dangerous religion and a retarded culture".

Wilders, who visited the Lords at the invitation of the UK Independence party leader Lord Pearson and the crossbencher Baroness Cox, said: "Cultural relativism is the greatest disease we face in Europe today."

Lord Pearson said that while he and Wilders – "a very great man" – agreed on many things he did not support his Dutch colleague's desire for the Koran to be outlawed.

"If Geert is still calling for the Koran to be banned like Mein Kampf then I would not agree with him," he said. "[But] the Koran should be very much more discussed among the Muslim community."

When Wilders was asked whether he would engage with Muslims who reinterpreted their holy book in a manner more compatible with his views, he replied: "If you tear the hateful passages out of the Koran, you would get Donald Duck."

In any case, he said, Muslims would never abandon the text of what he called "a terrible book". >>> Sam Jones | Friday, March 05, 2010

THE TELEGRAPH: In pictures: Protests for and against the visit of Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders >>> | Friday, March 05, 2010

MY ESSAY: Islam: The Enemy of Democracy and Freedom >>> Mark Alexander | Friday, April 20, 2007

Diplomatic Support for Geert Wilders on UK Trip
NRC HANDELSBLAD: The Dutch ambassador to Great Britain, Pieter Willem Waldeck, will meet the leader of the populist Party for Freedom (PVV), Geert Wilders, when he arrives in London on Thursday.

Dutch foreign minister Maxime Verhagen said the ambassador will be at the airport to assist the politician who is travelling to Great Britain in spite of a decision by the British government to refuse him entry. The British authorities say Wilders is not welcome because his outspoken views on the Muslim faith could lead to unrest.

Wilders had been invited by a member of the House of Lords to show his short film Fitna. The British refusal to deny entry to a Dutch member of parliament has been condemned by Dutch political parties. Maxime Verhagen appealed to the British government to reconsider its decision. >>> News Staff, NRC Handelsblad | Thursday, February 12, 2009

NRC HANDELSBLAD: Wilders’ Right to Speak

EDITORIAL: The United Kingdom does not want to admit anyone to its territory that would threaten “ Target=_blank>community harmony and therefore public security.” This argument was used to deny member of parliament Geert Wilders of the populist party PVV entry to the country on Tuesday. Too high a barrier to the free movement of people and the freedom of expression has thus been erected. Besides the fact that the law of both the European Union and the Council of Europe seems to be violated by this, the political concept of a free European space has also been damaged.

Ironically, striving for freedom often entails the prospect of confinement. That has now occurred. The fact that the ban affects a member of parliament makes the decision political, in addition to symbolic. The British are concerned about a well-defined political program that is democratically legitimised in the Netherlands. Voltaire is often credited with pointing out that freedom of expression means defending someone’s right to assert that with which one disagrees. That certainly applies to Wilders, who gives plenty of occasion for disagreement. But his freedom to express such disagreeable sentiments should prevail all the more. As should the duty to defend that freedom. Moreover what is at stake here is political freedom, without which other freedoms are all but unthinkable. >>> Editorial | Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Read the letter to Geert Wilders from the Home Office here

TIMES ONLINE:
Utter Condescension and Denial from The Times >>> Leader | Thursday, February 12, 2009

FOX NEWS: Despite Ban, Dutch Lawmaker Vows to Visit 'Cowardly' Britain

Dutch politician Geert Wilders says he's flying to Great Britain despite a government order banning him from entering the country, and he's daring the "weak and cowardly" British government to arrest him when he gets there.

"I'll see what happens at the border. Let them put me in handcuffs," Wilders told Radio Netherlands in an interview Wednesday.
The right-wing lawmaker was invited by a member of Parliament to show his anti-Islam movie "Fitna," which calls the Koran a "fascist" book and accuses Islam of being a violent religion. He was told by the British Embassy in a letter Tuesday that he could not set foot in the country.

Britain's Home Office would not comment specifically on the ban, but it said it "opposes extremism in all its forms" and would work to "stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country." >>> Fox News | Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback – The Netherlands) >>>

Nervousness in the Dutch Expat Community because of Geert Wilders’ Film
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: Dutch people living abroad are worried about the effects of right-wing politician Geert Wilders' anti-Qu'ran film. In recent weeks Dutch embassies have been busy making emergency plans, a move which many people have judged as an over-reaction. However, Dutch expats in Islamic countries in particular say that they are already having problems as a result of comments made by Wilders and that they are beginning to fear for their personal safety.

More than 1000 Dutch participants in Radio Netherlands Worldwide's World Panel - all of them living outside the Netherlands - have responded to questions put to them about the commotion surrounding the Wilders' film, which has yet to be released. 

The Dutch embassies' fears of a possible violent reaction seem to have escaped the attention of the majority of the respondents. However, of those living in Islamic countries, nine percent say they had been approached by or received relevant information from their embassy.

For the rest, most of the Dutch expats seem fairly calm and believe the media have devoted too much attention to Mr Wilders' comments. Furthermore, there was no talk of any of them returning - temporarily or otherwise - to the Netherlands in connection with this issue.



Danger


Geert Wilders, leader of the new Freedom Party, has been major news in the Netherlands for weeks with his anti-Qu'ran film, even though no one has seen a single second of it and it's not yet known where and when it will be released. 



For many people, though, they simply have think back to what happened following the release of Theo van Gogh's film Submission in 2004. He was killed by an extremist Muslim several months later. 



Many Dutch expats are concerned about their own position and no fewer than nine out of ten believe that Wilders' has put his own life in danger too. Around half of the respondents to the RNW survey warn that Dutch firms could soon be boycotted as a result of the film. 



A somewhat smaller percentage fears that there could also be attacks on Dutch targets. However, the most remarkable finding concerns the number of Dutch citizens in Islamic countries who say they are already facing problems or even danger in connection with Geert Wilders: 43 percent.

Politics

Even in Islamic countries, however, the majority of the expats who responded to the survey believe that Wilders should be able to say whatever he wants and that the Dutch government should not take action against the film. While they think that his statements are indeed polarising Dutch society and offensive to a large group of people, nearly two-thirds believe that he is only saying what most people think. Wilders and his film worry Dutch expats >>> By Perro de Jong

Mark Alexander (Paperback)
Mark Alexander (Hardback)

Wilders Trial II: Judges Take Charge
DUTCHNEWS.nl: The new judges sent out a clear message on day one of the trial against PVV leader Geert Wilders: we are in charge here, not the lawyer, not the accused and certainly not the cameras, writes Nico de Fijter in Trouw [Wiki].

‘Your answer please’ the senior judge urged Wilders’ lawyer Bram Moszkowicz who apparently took too long to react. And moments later, when he made an unsolicited comment on something his opposite number said, the judge reacted with a terse: ‘You are speaking out of turn, Mr. Moszkowicz.’

The new judges, lead by Marcel van Oosten (64) have opted for a strict, businesslike and above all decisive tone.

Tongues had been wagging about how the new judges were going to handle Wilders II. The judiciary came out of the first round with quite a lot of egg on its face. Impolitic comments and downright blunders marked the first trial and lead to the dismissal of the judges.

The judiciary administration did not fare much better: the judges lacked support and were insufficiently prepared. The question of whether or not Wilders was guilty of discrimination and inciting hatred all but disappeared in the judiciary melee.

This is why the judges, the court and the whole judiciary want to see a flawless trial that is not so much about them but about the accused. And that can only happen if the judge takes charge.

And he did. It showed in the way he ticked off Moszkowicz. The camera registration of the trial has been adapted, too. It is still transmitted live but recording will start when the judges have entered the court, not before. And when they leave, the camera’s are no longer allowed to linger either. It’s as if the judges are saying: nothing of importance is going to happen until we are here. >>> | Tuesday, February 08, 2011

BBC: Dutch MP Geert Wilders back in court over 'hate speech': Dutch anti-Islam MP Geert Wilders has returned to court in Amsterdam to face trial for inciting hatred, before a new set of judges. >>> | Monday, February 07, 2011

NZZ ONLINE: Rechtspopulist Wilders erneut vor Gericht: Verteidiger will Van-Gogh-Mörder als Zeugen >>> sda | Montag, 07. Februar 2011

"Persécuté" pour ses opinions anti-islam
LA-CROIX: LA HAYE - Pays-Bas : Geert Wilders se dit "persécuté" pour ses opinions anti-islam

Le député néerlandais d'extrême droite Geert Wilders, poursuivi pour incitation à la haine raciale et à la discrimination envers les musulmans, a affirmé lundi devant le tribunal d'Amsterdam être "persécuté" pour ses opinions anti-islam.

"Les citoyens qui critiquent l'islam paient un lourd tribut. Ils sont menacés, persécutés, criminalisés", a soutenu le député, lors d'une audience de procédure retransmise sur internet.

"Celui qui dit la vérité est en danger", a ajouté le chef du Parti pour la liberté (PVV), poursuivi pour avoir qualifié l'islam de "fasciste" et réclamé l'interdiction du Coran, comparé au livre "Mein Kampf" d'Adolf Hitler. >>> AFP | Lundi 07 Février 2011

Wilders' Party Is 'Extremely Right-wing'
DUTCH NEWS: Dutch journalists and politicians should stop calling Geert Wilders' political party the PVV a populist party because it has all the hallmarks of an extreme-right wing group, says Renée Danen, the president of the Dutch anti-racist group Nederland Bekent Kleur, in the NRC.

'The PVV wants to close the borders to people who belong to one particular religion, and ban the houses of worship and schools for one population group,' Danen wrote in an article.

'Wilders once told De Limburger newspaper that he wants to 'tear down the mosques'. He told HP/De Tijd newsweekly that 'it is okay for the Netherlands to have Jewish and Christian school but not Islamic schools'. In other words: pure discrimination,' Danen said.

Wilders is also anti-democratic, Danen argues, pointing out that he is the only member of the PVV. 'PVV MPs are not elected by the party but appointed by Wilders himself. The PVV meets behind closed doors in meetings where no one has the right to vote. So the main defining characteristics of an extreme-right party - nationalist, anti-democratic and racist - are all found in the PVV,' Danen says. Economic Policy >>> | Thursday, June 11, 2009

THE WASHINGTON POST: Dutch Far Right MP Snubs EU, Refuses to Take Seat

AMSTERDAM - Dutch anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders won enough preference votes for a seat in the European Parliament, but has refused to take up the position, his party said Thursday.

Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party (PVV), had campaigned on an anti-European Union platform and had said before last week's election he would not take up a seat in the parliament in protest against an institution he said needed change.

He says he objects to EU influence in Dutch matters, arguing the Netherlands should keep a veto right over issues such as immigration laws. He is also against Dutch taxpayer money being paid to the union and Turkey's entry into the bloc.

The Dutch Electoral Council said Wilders had won almost 335,000 preference votes, guaranteeing him a seat. Wilders had not been expected to win a seat because he was listed at number 10 on his party's candidate list.

Barry Madlener, who topped the PVV's candidate list, confirmed Wilders would not take up his seat. "We would miss him here too much," he told news agency ANP. >>> Reuters | Thursday, June 11, 2009

Jordan to Prosecute Geert Wilders over Fitna
Photo of Geert Wilders courtesy of Google Images
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: The Jordanian justice authorities are preparing a criminal case against right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders because of his anti-Islam film, Fitna. A Jordanian judge has ruled that there is a case to answer. A number of procedures will have to be followed before any indictment is issued and this is likely to take a considerable time.

The complaint has been brought by organisations which believe the film constitutes an incitement to hatred of Muslims. They have already launched a campaign to boycott Dutch products, blaming the government in The Hague for not prosecuting Mr Wilders. Jordan to Prosecute Dutch MP over Anti-Islam Film >>> By Mike Wilcox | July 1, 2008

THE STRAITS TIMES:
Jordan Charges Dutch MP over 'Anti-Islam' Film >>> | July 1, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE:
Meanwhile, the Dutch Back Wilders >>> | July 1, 2008

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER:
Geert Wilders Plans ‘Fitna’ Sequel >>> By Ab Zagt | July 1, 2008

NIS NEWS BULLETIN:
Wilders Weighs Fitna Sequel: "I do not have to keep to the laws of banana republics like Jordan and Saudi Arabia," Wilders explained. The Dutch OM's decision not to prosecute him "should be presented in golden gift-wrapping to those lunatics in Amman" >>> | July 2008

REUTERS:
Jordan Charges Dutch Politician with Blasphemy >>> | July 1, 2008

RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE:
Jordanian Ambassador Not to Be Summoned >>> | July 2, 2008

DUTCHNEWS.NL:
Verhagen Picks Diplomacy over Wilders >>> | July 2, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (US) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (US) >>>

Lion's Den: Why I Stand with Geert Wilders
THE JERUSALEM POST: Who is the most important European alive today? I nominate the Dutch politician Geert Wilders. I do so because he is best placed to deal with the Islamic challenge facing the continent. He has the potential to emerge as a world-historical figure.

That Islamic challenge consists of two components: on the one hand, an indigenous population's withering Christian faith, inadequate birthrate and cultural diffidence, and on the other an influx of devout, prolific and culturally assertive Muslim immigrants. This fast-moving situation raises profound questions about Europe: Will it retain its historic civilization or become a majority-Muslim continent living under Islamic law (Shari'a)?

Wilders, 46, founder and head of the Party for Freedom (PVV), is the unrivaled leader of those Europeans who wish to retain their historic identity. That's because he and the PVV differ from most of Europe's other nationalist, anti-immigrant parties.

Wilders, 46, founder and head of the Party for Freedom (PVV), is the unrivaled leader of those Europeans who wish to retain their historic identity. That's because he and the PVV differ from most of Europe's other nationalist, anti-immigrant parties.

The PVV is libertarian and mainstream conservative, without roots in neo-Fascism, nativism, conspiricism, anti-Semitism or other forms of extremism. (Wilders publicly emulates Ronald Reagan.) Indicative of this moderation is Wilders's long-standing affection for Israel that includes two years' residence in the Jewish state, dozens of visits and his advocating the transfer of the Dutch embassy to Jerusalem.

In addition, Wilders is a charismatic, savvy, principled and outspoken leader who has rapidly become the most dynamic political force in the Netherlands. While he opines on the full range of topics, Islam and Muslims constitute his signature issue. Overcoming the tendency of Dutch politicians to play it safe, he calls Muhammad a devil and demands that Muslims "tear out half of the Koran if they wish to stay in the Netherlands." More broadly, he sees Islam itself as the problem, not just a virulent version of it called Islamism.

Finally, the PVV benefits from the fact that, uniquely in Europe, the Dutch are receptive to a non-nativist rejection of Shari'a. This first became apparent a decade ago, when Pim Fortuyn, a left-leaning, former communist, homosexual professor, began arguing that his values and lifestyle were irrevocably threatened by Shari'a. Fortuyn anticipated Wilders in founding his own political party and calling for a halt to Muslim immigration to the Netherlands. Following Fortuyn's 2002 assassination by a leftist, Wilders effectively inherited his mantle and his constituency. >>> Daniel Pipes | Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Breaking News! Dutch MP Wilders Refused Entry to UK: 'A Threat to Public Order'
Photo of Geert Wilders courtesy of Radio Netherlands Worldwide
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: Dutch Right-wing politician and controversial anti-Islam campaigner Geert Wilders has been refused entry to the United Kingdom despite being invited to visit by a member of the House of Lords, the British parliament's upper chamber.

Mr Wilders (pictured), who was due to go to London this Thursday, received a letter today, 10 February, from the British ambassador to the Netherlands telling him that he was not welcome, reportedly because his visit would constitute a threat to public order.

Handcuffs


Mr Wilders responded to the decision in fighting mood, telling Dutch media that he still intended to travel to London:

"I'll see what happens at the border. Let them put me in handcuffs."

Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen's response was also firm. He contacted his UK counterpart, David Miliband, by telephone and voiced his dissatisfaction that a member of the Dutch parliament - Geert Wilders is in fact also the leader of a political grouping, the Freedom Party - has been prohibited from entering a fellow European Union member state. >>> By RNW Internet, (Sources: ANP/Elsevier) | Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Send your PROTESTS to the Foreign Secretary:

private.office@fco.gov.uk OR milibandd@parliament.uk

TELEGRAPH BLOGS: Geert Wilders, Anti-Islamic Politician, Banned from Britain

Can this really be true? An elected representative, the leader of a legitimate political party, banned from entering the United Kingdom? On what possible grounds?

It's true that Geert Wilders is a controversialist, who takes pleasure in causing offence. He needs 24-hour protection, so serious are the death-threats he has attracted from jihadis. He revels in offending liberals as well as Muslims: his call for the Koran to be banned struck me as rather inconsistent with his stated commitment to civic freedoms. I wouldn't vote for him if I were Dutch.

But what I think of him is neither here nor there. Freedom means the freedom to express any opinion, however eccentric, however offensive. The Dutch foreign minister, a political opponent of Mr Wilders, has complained to David Miliband. Good for him. Whether our government is actuated by cowardice or authoritarianism, it's equally ugly. We are a meaner country than we were this morning. Comment here >>> Daniel Hannan | Tuesday, February 10, 2009


Hat tip: Dale Hurd >>>

LIVE LEAK: Anti-Islamic Film, Fitna


The Dawning of a New Dark Age (Paperback & Hardback) – Free delivery >>>