Militant Islam Monitor > Articles > Hysteria over Geert Wilders rumored Koran film continues unabated as country goes into crisis mode
Hysteria over Geert Wilders rumored Koran film continues unabated as country goes into crisis mode
January 22, 2008
Hysteria Over Geert Wilders' Rumored "Anti-Quran" Film Continues Unabated
Hysteria Over Geert Wilders' Rumored "Anti-Quran" Film Continues Unabated
By Beila Rabinowitz
January 22, 2008 - San Francisco, CA - PipeLineNews.org - Dutch MP Geert Wilders' rumored "anti-Quran" film has set off a wave of hand-wringing and hysteria in Holland.
The announcement by the head of the Freedom Party that he planned to make a film showing that the Quran is "an inspiration for intolerance, murder and terror," has sent Dutch government and security officials scurrying to design contingency plans in the event riots break out upon the release of the film.
Sociologist Peter Vasterman, a specialist in media hype commented, "The film has taken on a mythical character. Everyone already has the idea that it will be shocking and that the images will go all over the world." [source, http://www.ad.nl/binnenland/article1979691.ece]
Theo Vught, jury chairman of Holland's highest marketing prize stated that "[Wilders] has time and time again created momentum for his story. Whether film comes out or not, everyone is talking about it."
According to the Dutch newspaper, Volkskrant a 20-page secret government memo was being circulated about the cabinet and embassies worldwide. The plan allegedly details evacuation procedures and instructions to Dutch living outside Holland to be alert for the first signs of trouble. [source, http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article496082.ece/Zelfs_evacuatie_ambassades_geregeld ]
Dutch police have increased their presence in Muslim areas of Holland and have had discussions with imams and other Muslim representatives, cautioning calm.
A letter from the Director General for Security was sent out to the country's mayors, warning them to be vigilant for the first signs of trouble and offering help with "scenarios" for dealing with expected unrest. [source, http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/3318]
The Contact Organ for Muslims and the Government in Holland has warned that fatwas could be issued against Dutch interests abroad if the film is to be shown. [source, http://www.ad.nl/buitenland/article1979702.ece ]
Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has said that "We are ready to react quickly, it is our role to be prepared for calamities."
Wilders did not reveal the content of the apparently unfinished work, but commented that "Now that everybody is already in a state (over the film) I see it as a confirmation that I should go ahead. I would not be worth a button if I were to capitulate now." [source, http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iGKrjDg9E1ysvy0E13_yHoKNRnSQ ]
Throughout this controversy, though much has been made of Dutch "tolerance," that term is open to interpretation.
In an article entitled "Lack of Self Respect" Theo van Gogh - who was slaughtered by Islamist Mohammed Bouyeri in 2004 because he believed van Gogh's film "Submission," slandered Islam – equated Dutch forbearance with cowardice.
"If something characterizes the so called "Dutch identity" it is a sheepish lack of self-respect, which expresses itself in a teeth-chattering panic at the prospect of being labelled "racist" or "discriminatory." [source, http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/349]
http://www.pipelinenews.org/index.cfm?page=wilders1.22.08%2Ehtm
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Holland 'governed by fear of Islam'
By Joan Clements in The Hague
Last Updated: 2:28am GMT 24/01/2008 The Daily Telegraph (London) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=40TKRVMEJJGQDQFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0?xml=/news/2008/01/24/wdutch124.xml A politician has warned that a "fear of Islam" is governing Holland after he delayed the release of a short film attacking the Koran. Geert Wilders, 44, the leader of the Dutch Freedom Party, who compares the Muslim holy book to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, sparked government panic after saying the anti-Islam film would be released tomorrow. As Dutch police prepared for a weekend of riots and Mr Wilders was told by the authorities that he would have to leave country, he launched a new attack on "intolerant" Islam while announcing that his 10-minute film attacking the Muslim faith would be postponed for two weeks. "If I had announced that I was going to make a film about the fascist character of the Bible would there have been a crisis meeting of Holland's security forces?" he wrote to the Volkskrant newspaper. "Would I have received as many death threats as I have done since announcing I was making a film about the Koran? Of course not." Iran's parliament, the Majlis, this week warned of "extensive repercussions from Muslims throughout the globe" if the film was broadcast. In an attempt to defuse tensions, the Dutch government will tomorrow announce that it will not implement a ban on the Islamic burqa dress
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