King mentions Worries in Society about Refugees

In his annual speech on the occasion of the opening of the parliamentary session on the third Tuesday of September King Willem Alexander painted a very positive picture of The Nethrlands’ situation. Yet a few words of concern slipped in: “It is logical that there are worries in society about the arrival of big groups of refugees. We ask ourselves if the differences in culture and in norms and values are not too big and whether services will not come under too much pressure.”

https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2016/09/20/troonrede-2016

Dutch Elite Soldiers are fed up with Calls for Prayer from Mosque

Dutch soldiers from the elite Dutch Corps of Command Soldiers (KCT) are fed up with the weekly call for prayer from a mosque close to their barracks in Roosendaal. They have hired a lawyer to end the noise. The soldiers say that the call for prayer is imposed on them against their will. It creates negative associations among soldiers who have served in Muslim countries.   

http://nieuws.tpo.nl/2016/09/19/korps-commandotroepen-roosendaal-is-herrie-oproepen-tot-gebed-moskee-zat/

Medemblik: Vandals Damage Mosque under Construction

Vandals have destroyed windows and fences of a mosque under construction in Medemblik. Its chairman appeals to neighbors whether they can help identify the perpetrators.

www.medemblikactueel.nl/2016/09/18/tuig-sloopt-nieuwe-moskee-medemblik/

Head of intelligence service: Highest terrorist threat in five years

Rob Bertholee has been the head of the general intelligence service, AIVD, for the past five years. He said that the threat of terrorist attacks during his service has never been as high as at present. He specifically mentioned the danger of traumatized people returning from Syria and Iraq who reenter Dutch society in order to carry out attacks later.  He also referred to people who are inspired by social media to implement terror attacks.  He said that some privacy has to be sacrificed in order to increase security.

http://nos.nl/artikel/2132747-aivd-terreurdreiging-hoogste-in-vijf-jaar.html

Zaandam: Turkish youngsters threaten and intimidate citizens

The Poelenburg neighborhood in Zaandam has gained national publicity due to provocative actions of several tens of mainly Dutch-Turkish youngsters. They hang around at the square before the local supermarket, hinder citizens and provoke the police. Municipal councilor Juliette Rot has complained to the police that she has been threatened. She accused the town’s mayor Geke Faber of reacting far too late to the problems. Some municipal councilors claim that at night also shots are heard. Prime Minister Rutte has called the youngsters “scum.”

www.elsevier.nl/nederland/achtergrond/2016/09/burgemeester-overleeft-motie-maar-crisis-zaandam-houdt-aan-360477/

Twenty percent of children taken out of Dutch Gülen schools

Within a few weeks almost 600 children have been taken out of nine Dutch schools who are considered by Turkey to be close to the Turkish Gülen movement. This represents about twenty percent of all pupils of these schools. In two schools almost half the children have been taken out. The national primary school council PO says that such a sizable departure in a short time has never happened before. Also a number of teachers have left the schools.  

http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/39681/nbsp/article/detail/4372555/2016/09/08/588-kinderen-weg-bij-Gulenscholen.dhtml\

Minister of Health heavily criticizes Dutch Muslim society

In a lecture Minister of Public Health Edith Schippers (VVD) heavily criticized a variety of phenomena in parts of the Dutch Muslim society. She praised Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who chose her own way in opposition to all conventions. Schippers said that Hirsi Ali faced great difficulties. Yet she opposed the suppression of women in Muslim culture, forced marriages, female circumcision, and the patriarchate. Schippers also criticized the lukewarm support for Hirsi Ali by Dutch feminists.

www.elsevier.nl/nederland/achtergrond/2016/09/hj-schoo-lezing-edith-schippers-de-paradox-van-de-vrijheid-353734/