This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1163
Interview with Emerson Vermaat :"Hofstadgroep amateurish but dangerous"
October 16, 2005
http://www.uitgeverijaspekt.nl/Aktueelpagina.htm
MIM: Dutch counter terrorism expert and journalist Emerson Vermaat has published a book on the Hofstadgroep. Vermaat presented the book to the parents of murdered filmmaker Theo van Gogh.
The killer, Mohammed Bouyeri ,was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder but will be tried again on charges of being a member of a terrorist groep. Dutch officials claim the second trial is intended for him to give an accounting of his role in the murder and as a mentor to others in the Hofstadgroep.
Given that Bouyeri refused to acknowledge the court in his first trial on the grounds that they were infidels who could not judge a Muslim, it is doubtful that a new trial about his role in the Hofstad terror group will do more then give him a platform where he can portray himself as a martyr and hero to Moroccan Muslims in Holland.
According to Emerson Vermaat:'Terrorists crave publicity after the deed'.
The first book on the Hofstadgroep has been published. Author and terrorism expert Emerson Vermaat presented a copy of the book about the alleged homegrown Muslim terror group to the parents of filmmaker Theo van Gogh on Thursday. Mohammed B., the man who was jailed for killing Van Gogh, goes on trial in December charged with membership of the Hofstadgroep. The Dutch-language book is entitled 'Hofstadgroep' and describes the organisation as amateurish but dangerous.
Also see: Bin Laden's Terror Networks in Europe
http://216.119.99.176/commentary.html
--------------------------------------------------------------
Interview with Emerson Vermaat translated by Beila Rabinowitz director MIM
Hofstad Groep amateurish but dangerous
The first book about the Hofstadgroep is out. Terrorism expert Emerson Vermaat has presented the first copy of the book "The Hofstadgroep " to the parents of Theo Van Gogh.
The trial of the Hofstad Groep begins on the 5th of December. Why did you bring the book out now?
"On November 2nd it will be a year ago that Theo van Gogh was murdered. Half of the book is about Mohammed Bouyeri. The title really should have been "Mohammed Bouyeri and the Hofstadgroep", but it was too late to change it. I wanted to bring it out now in order to give the reader an overview of what happened. It will be in the glare of publicity during the coming months."
Have you written this as a handbook?
"Alot of what has happened until now has been inaccessible for the average reader. It is completely updated until the last pro forma court sitting in September and there is a list in the back of 'Who's Who'. One can look something up when you see anything about the case on television or read an article about it in the newspaper".
Will there soon be a Part II?
"When the book is sold out there will probably be a second edition after the trial."
You make a connection between the attacks in London and the Hofstadgroep and specifically Jason W.
" Jason wrote in an online chat that he had contact with Maulana Masood, who leads the Al Qaeda affiliated group Jaish Mohammed in Pakistan. At least one of the London metro attackers had contact with this Pakistani organisation. That is my opinion. I do not have hard evidence.But the online chats are not just empty bragging. I don't believe that at all ".
According to you the Hofstadgroep is part of Al Qaeda?
"If you are making contact with this type of network means you are serious. But I do not believe they are part of Al Qaeda. They were too amateurish for that. They didn't have connections.They may have tried to come into contact via Azhar. But it didn't work. The group was still in their formative stages and the arrests by the AIVD (General Intelligence and Security Services), disrupted that."
What would have happened if the AIVD hadn't interceded?
"Then you probably would have had the same thing as happened in London. The British intelligence service M15 didn't know anything about the group's contact with Jaish e Mohammed."
Why did the AIVD suceed and not M15?
"The AIVD had most of the youths under surveillance in 2003. For example, Mohammed Bouyeri had a criminal record early on, later he published radical texts on the internet."
So we were lucky, because our terrorists were ' a bit stupid'?
"Yes, polder terrorists. Perhaps they were really were stupid. What I am afraid of is that we have a group here which is barely attracting any notice. Who are more competent then the others and don't say everything over the telephone. All the biggest attacks were carried out by people who were under the radar. That is the problem. I don't know if Holland has a similiar group, but I don't discount the possibility".
The danger from the Hofstadgroep was over estimated?
"The problem is that there were plans. I suspect that they wanted to kill a politican or perpetrate an attack on an object. If the AIVD had not interceded they could very well have assassinated Martijnessen or Van Aartsen. It could be done. They also murdered Theo van Gogh. In that sense they are dangerous. They could easily kill someone or cause a firefight. They are amateurish but dangerous. I think that they prevented attacks, but not ones on such a large scale as those in London and Madrid. I don't see them as professional terrorists".
What is does that mean- a professional terrorist?
"They make less noise. The members of the Hofstadgroep crave publicity. Samir Azzouz, who I see as dangerous as Mohammed Bouyeri, goes to court and gives indepth interviews from the public benches. They enjoy the publicity. A characteristic of terror groups is that they seek publicity after the attack is over."
What drives them besides the attention?
"The attacks of September 11 had a big influence. It was an important orientation point. At the same time they may have felt that they were discriminated against. Mohammed Bouyeri was on welfare and that must have been frusturating for him. But they also have to take responsibility. Many youth like them have the tendency, which is also reinforced by their surroundings, to blame everything on the society. They did not grasp the opportunities that our society offered them. Mohammed Bouyeri had possibilities. With his capabilities he could have been an Amsterdam councilman, like Ahmed Aboutaleb".
-----------------------
Website of Emerson Vermaat:
http://www.emersonvermaat.com/
Books by Emerson Vermaat
Migration, Crime and Culture:
Al Qaeda's Deadly Planning
Also see Emerson Vermaat's work:
Bin Laden's Terror Networks in Europe
http://216.119.99.176/commentary.html
"...Emerson Vermaat was born in 1947 and studied law at the State University of Leyden, the Netherlands. He is a senior television reporter who specializes in reporting on terrorism, transnational organized crime and war. He has published a number of books and essays on Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism and the globalization of crime.
Emerson Vermaat's exploration of al-Qaeda's networks in Europe is both timely and important on both sides of the Atlantic..."
[INTRODUCTION] [1. The Killing of Massoud] [2. The Netherlands & Belgium] [3. France] [4. Spain, Italy and the Balkans] [5. Germany] [6. Concluding Observations] [TOP of PAGE]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.planet.nl/planet/show/id=62967/contentid=626508/sc=701a10
Hofstadgroep amateuristisch maar gevaarlijk' |
Gepubliceerd op donderdag 06 oktober 2005 |
Het eerste boek over de Hofstadgroep is een feit. Terrorismedeskundige Emerson Vermaat heeft de primeur. Dinsdagmiddag overhandigt hij het eerste exemplaar van het boek ‘De Hofstadgroep' aan de ouders van Theo van Gogh. Het proces tegen de Hofstadgroep begint 5 december. Waarom komt u nu al met een boek? U heeft het geschreven als een handboek? Komt er een deel twee straks? U legt een verband tussen de plegers van de aanslagen in Londen en de Hofstadgroep, en dan met name Jason W. . De Hofstadgroep is volgens u onderdeel van al-Qaeda? Wat was er dan gebeurd als de AIVD niet had ingegrepen? Waarom lukt de AIVD dat wel en MI5 niet? Wij hebben geluk dus, want onze terroristen zijn ‘een beetje dom'? Het gevaar van de Hofstadgroep wordt overschat? Wat is dat dan wel, een professionele terrorist? Wat drijft hen behalve aandacht? Emerson Vermaat: De Hofstadgroep. Aspekt; 144 pagina's. 12,95 euro. ISBN 90-59110-292-X |
MIM: In the above interview Emerson Vermaat stated that Jason Walters (who is referred to in the Dutch media as Jason W. as Dutch law forbids publication of a suspect's last name), wrote in an online chat that he had been in contact with Maulana Masood Mohammed, the Pakistani leader of Jaish Mohammed (The Army of God) a group which is affiliated with Al Qaeda.MIM has information that Jason Walters the son of an Afro American soldier and Dutch mother has family living in the United States. When he was arrested the Dutch police found 86 emails addressed to people in the United States.
Translated by Beila Rabinowitz director MIM:
Farewell letter form Jason Walters
(The online magazine) Geen Stijl saw a farewell letter which came our way from Jason Walters. This is the young man who decided to become a Muslim terrorist. You know the one, the guy who surrended himself naked instead of blowing himself up. Jason Walters is the 19 year old son of an American soldier who was stationed in Holland. He had just completed high school and had started to study at the university. Jason converted to Islam at the age of 13 and got a new name, Abu Muhajied Amrik. The farewell letter was written to his mother last year before his departure to a far off Islamist stronghold. His 17 year old brother Jermaine has recently converted. Germaine was arrested yesterday afternoon at his parents house in Amersfoort. check the long winded, tough talking terrorist language letter here. (see link below). Muslim terrorists do speak in clear language!
Update: Contrary to what other weblogs claim is this about Jason Walters. Once again, leave this investigation in the hands of Geenstijl, instead of accusing innocent people.
------------------------------------------------------------
Afscheidsbrief van Jason Walters
GeenStijl zag een afscheidsbrief voorbij komen van Jason W. Dit is de jongeman die besloot moslimterrorist te worden. U weet wel, die gozert van de Antheunisstraat te Den Haag die zich naakt overgaf in plaats van zichzelf op te blazen. Jason W. is de 19-jarige zoon van een Amerikaanse militair die in Nederland gestationeerd was. Hij heeft VWO afgerond en was begonnen aan een universitaire studie. Jason bekeerde zich al op 13-jarige leeftijd tot de islam en kreeg de nieuwe naam en Abu Mujahied Amrik. De afscheidsbrief werd vorig jaar voor vertrek naar een ver islamitisch bolwerk geschreven voor zijn moeder. Zijn 17-jarige broer Jermaine bekeerde zich pas recentelijk. Jermaine werd gistermiddag opgepakt in het ouderlijk huis te Amersfoort. Check de langdradige, breedsprakige terroristentaal-brief hierrr. Moslimterroristen, spreek toch eens duidelijke taal!
UPDATE: In tegenstelling tot wat andere logs beweren gaat het hier om Jason Walters. Nogmaals, laat dat onderzoek nou gewoon aan GeenStijl over inplaats van weer onschuldige personen te beschuldigen.
11/11/04
Geenstijl claims that this is the farewell letter which Jason Walters wrote to his mother before he went abroad to train for Jihad.
http://www.geenstijl.nl/paginas/afscheidsbriefjason.html
|
This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/1163