Monday, March 31, 2008

Passport Control at Amsterdam Airport Likely to Face Major Problems


Minze Beuving, the retiring commander of the Military Police, has said that unless substantial investments are made soon in the automation of passport control at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, major problems will incur as the maximum capacity has been reached. Contrary to airports such as JFKennedy in New York and Heathrow near London, all checks at Schiphol are still done manually.
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/ln_binnenland/article953209.ece/Paspoortcontrole_Schiphol_dreigt_vast_te_lopen

In Case of Boycott Employers’ Organization May Sue Wilders


If Arab countries boycott Dutch commodities because of the “Fitna” movie, the employers’ organization will investigate whether damages can be claimed from Fredoom Party Leader Geert Wilders. This was announced by Bernard Wientjes, head of the employers’ organization..
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/ln_economie/article952675.ece/VNO-NCW_wil_schade_boycot_op_Wilders_verhalen

Former Malaysian Prime Minister calls for Boycott of Dutch Goods


Mahathir Mohamed, former Prime Minister of Malaysia, has reacted to the broadcasting of the movie “Fitna” by Geert Wilders. He called upon the 1.3 billion Muslims in the world to boycott Dutch products. Mahathir added: “If we boycott their products they will have to close their factories.”
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article953283.ece/Oproep_tot_boycot_Nederlandse_producten_in_Maleisie

Hundreds Ill in New Neighborhood


In the new neighborhood of Vathorst, in the town Amersfoort, hundreds of people have become chronically ill. They are living in houses with low energy consuming ventilation and suffer from recurring lung and ear infections as well as asthma. Babies and children are constantly short of breath. The television program Zembla which revealed this problem, claims that it is due to serious errors made by the architects, builders and the municipality.
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article953219.ece/Bewoners_Amersfoortse_wijk_ziek_van_huis

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Majority of Dutch: Government Overreacted Prior to Broadcasting of “Fitna” Movie


A significant majority of the Dutch public thinks that their government overreacted in anticipation of the production and broadcast of the “Fitna” movie by Geert Wilders. In less than one day, a third of the Dutch population had seen the movie. Twenty percent approved of Wilders’ making the movie, 25% were opposed and most of the remainder were neutral. These are the results of a poll of 1,200 taken by the well-known pollster Maurice de Hond.www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3660495/__Een_derde_Nederlanders_zag_film___.html?cid=rss

Muslims Worried about Next anti-Islam Movie


Muslim organizations think the “Fitna” movie by Geert Wilders is distorted but not very shocking. They are, however, afraid of a cartoon film being planned by a secular Muslim Ehsam Jami. They expect this one to be much more scandalous than “Fitna.”www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article951294.ece/Moslims_film_Jami_veel_schokkender_dan_Fitna

Jordanian Media Demand Boycott of Dutch Products


Thirty Jordanian newspapers, radio stations and websites have begun a campaign to boycott Dutch goods. They will also take Wilders to court regarding his anti-Islamic movie. They have called upon Arab leaders to review their country’s relations with the Netherlands.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3658313/_Wilders-rechtszaak_in_Jordanie__.html

Government Requests Former Minister to Pay Back Illegal Rent Subsidy


The Dutch government has demanded that former minister Eveline Herfkens pay back an illegally obtained rent subsidy of more than a quarter of a million dollars. The Dutch government had subsidized her rent costs as a UN employee, although it is forbidden by the UN for employees to receive any funds from third parties.www.nu.nl/news.jsp?n=1498965&c=11&rss

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Hospitals Avoided 100 Million Euro Tax

Seventy-six of the 91 hospitals in the Netherlands have together avoided 104 million Euro of taxes for which they have now been assessed. At one of the hospitals the director-general of the tax authority had been employed to supervise the finances of the institution. She said that she was not familiar with some of the issues.
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article949946.ece/Ziekenhuizen_ontweken_ruim_100_miljoen_belasting

More than Half of Dutch: Islam is Major Threat to Identity

A poll of 1,069 Dutchmen taken by two newspapers has revealed that more than half the Dutch consider Islam a threat to Dutch identity. Fifty-seven percent of the Dutch think that the admission of large groups of immigrants is the most serious mistake in Dutch history.
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article949946.ece/Ziekenhuizen_ontweken_ruim_100_miljoen_belasting

Facts of Report on Secret Service Wrongly Presented by Ministry of Interior

The Commission of Supervision concerning the security services (Ctivd) has said that the Ministry of the Interior incorrectly published several facts in its report on the intelligence service (AIVD). The Ministry published that the Commission's report had concluded that AIVD could not have prevented the murder of media maker Theo van Gogh. The chairperson of the commission said that this is incorrect. The Ministry has now retroactively changed its press release.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3634007/__Feiten_Van_Gogh-rapport_verdraaid___.html?cid=rss

New anti-Islam Cartoon Movie to Appear on 20 April

Eshan Jami, a secular Muslim municipal councilor, will broadcast a new anti-Islam cartoon movie on 20 April. One drawing has already been shown on television. Minister of State Hans van den Broek saw it and called it "political pyromania." The umbrella organization of the Muslim community (CMO) has announced that it will bring legal action against broadcasting the movie.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3643963/_Jami_brengt_anti-islamtekenfilm_uit__.html?cid=rss

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Dutch Railway System not Equipped for Dutch Weather


Rover, the consumer organization of rail travelers, says that it is incredible that the Dutch railway infrastructure system is not able to deal with Dutch weather. Over the Easter holiday major delays occurred because rail points had frozen. The infrastructure company ProRail said that the heating of the points didn’t function because the wrong kind of snow had fallen. The Dutch meteorological service said that the few centimeters of snow that fell were of the usual type.
www.parool.nl/nieuws/2008/MRT/25/bin5.html

Homeless Goes to Jail for Insulting Queen


The Dordrecht court has sentenced a 45-year old homeless man to four months in jail for insulting the Queen. He was also found guilty of threatening and insulting police agents and members of the Salvation Army. The man was, however, acquitted of the crime of threatening the Queen.
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/ln_binnenland/article948924.ece/Dakloze_krijgt_celstraf_voor_beledigen_koningin

Minister of Justice: Investigation of Men Buying Women Abroad


Minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin (Christian Democrats) will investigate the issue of Dutch Turkish and Moroccan men buying wives in their country of origin. He said that this practice is unacceptable. The men who do so consider these women as their property and keep them at home as slaves.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3632472/_Onderzoek__kopen__vrouw__.html?cid=rss

Christian Party Wants Action against Suicide Guide


The SGP Christian Party wants the government to investigate whether publication of a book written by a number of academics, which advises people on how to commit suicide is against Dutch law. Parliamentarian Van der Staaij says that this book contradicts the policy of trying to prevent suicide as much as possible.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article519143.ece/SGP_wil_actie_tegen_zelfmoordgids?source=rss

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Labor Party Supports Ombudsman against Prime Minister


The Labor Party supports the opinion of the National Ombudsman that the government is contributing to the hardening of Dutch society. Its Parliamentarian Pierre Heijnen has distanced himself from the criticism expressed by the prime minister on the Ombudsman’s report, by saying that the authorities were often doing their work well, while many citizens misbehaved.
www.nrc.nl/binnenl_conclusie_Ombudsman_terechtand/article984731.ece/PvdA

Police Authorities: Policemen have Lost Contact with non-Western Immigrants


The Council of Police Chief Commissioners has reported that, if Dutch policemen do not learn how to interact with non-Western immigrants, Dutch society will be disrupted. Policemen must be more aware of the sensitivities of specific ethnic groups. The document states that the situation may erupt suddenly and with no advance warning.
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article946282.ece/Politietop_agent_is
.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Parliamentarians: Dutch Embassy in Lebanon Should Fly Flag Again


A majority of the Dutch Parliament claims that the Netherlands should not have to be ashamed of its flag. They will ask Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen to raise the Dutch flag again at the embassy in Beirut. It was taken down over a week ago for security reasons. Parliamentarian Harry van Bommel (Socialist Party) said that the Netherlands should not yield to terror; if it does so in this one case, then the flag will soon be taken down in more than 50 Muslim countries.
www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article518363.ece/Ambassade_moet_de_driekleur_hijsen

Guide on “How to Commit Suicide” being Published


The Foundation for Research for Careful Suicide (WOZZ) will be selling a book on various ways a person can end his life. One of the authors, psychiatrist Boudewijn Chabot, said that from sociological research he did for his doctorate, he learned that in the Netherlands about 4,400 people end their lives annually after discussions with family and friends.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article984398.ece/Gids_met_adviezen_voor_zelfdoding

Effigy of Geert Wilders Burned in Kabul


Last week five thousand protestors marched in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. They burned the effigy of Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Freedom Party (PVV). They also burned Dutch and Danish flags and shouted “Death to the Netherlands and death to Denmark!”
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3609991/_Portret_Wilders_in_brand_gestoken__.html

Eastern European Gangs Fly to Netherlands to Rob Shops


In a secret report by the National Detective Information Service (DNRI) of the Dutch police, it is noted that Polish gangs are regularly flown into Charleroi Airport in Belgium. There they are given instructions, by SMS, navigation apparatus and even signs on shops, on where they should carry out robberies in the Netherlands. The annual theft amounts to about 220 million Euro. One center of these gangs is the Polish town of Wroclaw; others come from elsewhere in Poland and Lithuania. The gangs often consist of 10 or more people.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3598573/_Poolse_bendes_ingevlogen__.html

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Ombudsman: Dutch State Guilty of Hardening of Society

Alex Brenninkmeijer, the State Ombudsman, says that government services often treat citizens in an uncivilized manner, which which leads to the hardening of Dutch society. In his annual report he says: "A person arrested may get an unnecessary slap in the face; in a crisis situation regarding a child no one interferes; a woman is shamelessly frisked by the security service at Schiphol Airport; people arrested are unnecessarily locked up in police cells; a demonstrator is censored and intimidated; an official with a warrant unnecessarily empties the apartment of a person who is away because of illness." Brenninkmeijer also said that increased aggression against police is due partly to the increasing lack of patience on the part of police agents. He stresses that the hardening cannot be blamed on the citizens, most of whom behave properly.

www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article980127.ece/Ombudsman_Staat_schuldig_aan_verharding

Leading Parties: Don't Let Unemployed Antilleans into the Netherlands

The Christian Democrats and the Labor Party, the two main coalition parties, do not want to allow young Dutch Antilleans who had been unemployed at home into the Netherlands. This regulation would be is in addition to the law being prepared at present which would enable the expulsion of recidivist young Antillean criminals.

www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3589113/_Kamer__Werkloze_Antilliaan_weren__.html?cid=rss

High Concentration of Greenhouse Gas between Amsterdam and Frankfurt

Scientists have registered the highest concentration of carbon dioxide in Europe between Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Researchers at the University of Bremen claim that this is due to human activities.

www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3585513/_Hoogste_concentratie_CO2_tussen_A_dam_en_Frankfurt__.html?cid=rss

Intelligence Services Underestimated the Murderer of Van Gogh

Guusje ter Horst, the Minister of Interior (Labor) recently reported to the Parliament on the intelligence services (AIVD). The report says that in 2004, before Mohammed B. murdered media personality Theo van Gogh, the AIVD had greatly underestimated his violent influence.

www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article514358.ece/AIVD_heeft_Mohammed_B._onderschat?source=rss

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Scientists Leave Netherlands out of Fear of Animal-Rights People


Dutch researchers investigating new pharmaceuticals increasingly leave the country due to a fear of animal-rightists. The government is worried about the intimidation of people who carry out tests on animals. This intimidation hampers the ambition of the Netherlands to be a leader in bio-medical sciences.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3587324/
_Activisten_jagen_onderzoekers_weg__.html

Number of Threats against Politicians is Constant


In 2007 politicians submitted 264 complaints to the police about threats received (as against 265 times in 2006). Forty-one people were arrested for such threats. A spokesman for the Attorney-General said that more and more threats are issued via the Internet, because there is less of a chance of being caught.

Liberal Party: Problems at Tax Authority Go Beyond Computer Issues


Parliamentarian Johan Remkes of the Liberal Party (VVD), says that the problems of the Tax Authority go far beyond just technical computer issues. He added that “the Tax Authority communicates with the citizens in an autistic manner.” Remkes said further that he fears that the citizens’ tax morals will be undermined by the arrogant attitude of the Tax Authority. The two left wing parties SP and Green Left are demanding a parliamentary inquiry into the Tax Authority.

Police Want More Complaints about Hate Crimes



The national police want to encourage people to complain more about racist and homophobic violence. A spokesman said that the number of complaints “is at an unacceptably low level.” In two regions an opportunity will be offered to make anonymous complaints via the Internet.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Distributors of Human-Animal Porno will Claim Damages from Government

Two major distributors of human-animal pornography have announced that they will claim damages from the Government if human sex with animals is outlawed in The Netherlands. This law has been proposed by parliamentarian Harm Evert Waalkens (Labor). One distributor said that he will lose 100 million Euro sales over the coming ten years if this happens and will have to fire his fourteen employees.

www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3551193/_Seks_met_dieren_strafbaar__.html?cid=rss

Amsterdam Mayor: Almost Impossible to Prevent Opening of Foreign-Owned Brothels

Job Cohen, Mayor of Amsterdam says that it is almost impossible to take actions against foreign entrepreneurs who want to open a brothel or nightclub in Amsterdam with black money. The reason is that one cannot ask foreign governments for information about suspected criminals for the sole purpose of deciding whether to give them a permit.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3553421/_Bordeel_buitenlander_buiten_schot__.html?p=20,1

Socialist Party: Stop Soldiers Patrolling in Afghanistan until Equipment Adequate

Parliamentarian Remi Poppe of the extreme left opposition Socialist Party has asked the Government to stop the patrolling of Dutch soldiers in Afghanistan until they have adequate personal equipment. Many soldiers purchase a helmet, shoes, vests and cartridge-clips at their own expense in the Netherlands.

www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3554120/_SP_wil_opschorting_patrouilles__.html

Opposition Parties: Inventory of Projects for Criminal Youths Required

Supported by almost all other opposition parties, the conservative Freedom Party has proposed that the Government prepare an inventory of all projects for problematic youngsters and how effective they are. This proposal is motivated by a study of six such projects in Amsterdam which show that half the criminal youngsters who participate in them return to criminal activity.

http://www.parool.nl/nieuws/2008/MRT/14/o2.html

Monday, March 17, 2008

Police Experts: Amsterdam Moving Prostitution from Red Light District to other Locations


Experts in human trade in the national police services (KLPD) claim that, with its actions against sex clubs and the reduction of prostitution in the red light district, the Amsterdam municipality is moving the trade of human beings into illegality. The Amsterdam municipality’s policy can only succeed if it is part of a national approach, but the police do not have the capacity to deal with this.

Attorney General Investigates 2005 Sermon Justifying Hitler


The Attorney General’s office is now investigating whether a 2005 sermon by protestant clergyman N. Mos in the town of Wassenaar was anti-Semitic. Mos said that, according to Matthew, the “Jew in us” is a traitor and that Hitler, with his plans to drive “the Jews out of our midst”, was standing on biblical soil. Mos apologized for these comments only many months later under pressure.

Minister: Police Anger Worries Me


The Minister of the Interior Guusje ter Horst (Labor) has said that the way in which the wage negotiations with the Police organizations evolved is symptomatic of the “Coarsening of Dutch Society.” She added: “the police as a loyal organization should have civility and faithfulness to the authorities in its genes. However, the way anger was expressed against me personally worries me.”

Indonesia: Wilders Should Not Show Movie


The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called upon Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders not to show his “anti-Quran movie.” A ministry spokesman said that the movie is an “obstacle to the dialogue between religions which is essential for stability and peace in the world.” In Indonesia, as in several Muslim countries, there have been protests against the movie.

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Huge Increase in Fire Damage in Hospitals


Damage from fires in hospitals in 2006 and 2007 together amounted to 110 million Euro. Until 2006 the annual damage had not exceeded one million Euro. Insurance brokers say that this was caused by faulty building projects and poor maintenance.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article975374.ece/Brandschade_ziekenhuizen_stijgt_enorm?service=Print

Green Left: Police Solves Too Few Crimes


Parlementarian Naima Azough (Green Left) has asked the Minister of the Interior to explain why the police solves so few crimes, only 23 percent of the total. She based herself on a yet unpublished report which points to many mistakes of the Dutch police.
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/ln_binnenland/article942019.ece/GroenLinks_wil_dat_politie_meer_zaken_oplost

Extreme Right-Wing Sites Hint at Attacks on Moroccan Rappers


Extreme Right-Wing sites have hinted that there could be violent attacks on a Moroccan rap group, Scheme 015. They say that this is a reaction to a film on the internet which shows two skinheads being provoked and attacked by a group of what seem to be Moroccans in a train. The rappers claim to have no connection to the film.
www.ad.nl/denhaag/delft/2137055/Jacht_op_Delftse_rapgroep.html

Pakistani Terrorist Suspect Arrested


The national police have arrested a Pakistani student Akeel A. in the town of Breda. He is suspected of being part of an international terrorist network which was planning attacks in Spain and Germany. The terrorist was registered as a student in International Business and Management at the local high school but rarely attended courses.
http://www.parool.nl/nieuws/2008/MRT/15/bin2.html

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Two Million Access Passes to Government Buildings Can Be Easily Copied


Students of the Radboud University in Nijmegen have informed the Minister of the Interior that they have developed a simple method which enables one to copy the access passes to government buildings. The ministry estimates that about two million such passes are involved. The Dutch Intelligence Service AIVD has confirmed that the method is effective.
www.nrc.nl/binnenland/article971171.ece/Toegangspas_overheid_onveilig

Secret Data on Palace Shelter Available to the Public


Detailed plans of the shelter at the royal palace Huis ten Bosch have been exposed on the website of the Hague municipal archives. The underground complex measures 34 by 22 meters and can house, during war or other emergencies, up to 42 people. It has also been discovered that these secret sketches had been accessible to the public for years in the archive. Even after the municipality had been informed that, for security reasons these plans were secret, it took weeks until it was removed from the Internet.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3535904/_Schuilkelder_Beatrix_jaren_te_kijk__.html

Up to a Quarter of Non-Western Immigrants Marry Within Family


The National Institute for Environmental Hygiene (RIVM) has investigated the high percentage of infant mortality in Rotterdam. It concluded that this is related to the fact that many non-Western immigrants marry within their own families. Up to 25% of Turks in the Netherlands and 20% of the Moroccans have done so, which causes far more genetic problems than are common in the general population, where only about 1 per thousand would marry within his own family.
www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3525371/_Tot_25__allochtonen_trouwt_met_neef__.html

Prime Minister Angry about anti-Dutch Protests in Afghanistan


Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende is “very angry” about the demonstrations against the Netherlands in Afghanistan, in view of the proposed showing of the movie on the Quran, incitement and violence, by Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders. Balkenende said that “the Netherlands are involved in Afghanistan [with troops] in order to contribute to peace, justice and security… They have to look at the matters in proportion.”
www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article938440.ece/Balkenende_kwaad_over_protesten_in_Afghanistan

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Dutch Parliamentarian Investigates Sex of Humans with Animals


Harm Evert Waalkens (Labor) claims that there is a significant amount of sex with animals in the Netherlands. It is only punishable if the police can prove that the animal suffered pain. He added that the Netherlands is a refuge for producers of pornographic films on sex with animals and has a market share of 65%. He said that in his investigations he discovered an entire industry and was told that, if he succeeded in passing more stringent laws against such films, it would lead to unemployment. www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article938412.ece/
Verbied_film_Wilders_op_basis_van_mensenrechten

Parliamentarian Opposes Sex in Large Public Park


Pieter van Geel, leader of the Christian Democrat faction in the Dutch Parliament, has come out against allowing public sex in the large Vondelpark in Amsterdam. He contrasted the tolerant attitude toward this with the Municipality’s action against excesses in the red light district.
www.parool.nl/nieuws/2008/MRT/11/ams15.html

Iranian Government Wants Netherlands to Forbid Quran Movie on Basis of Universal Declaration of Human Rights


Mehdi Safari, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs has suggested to the Dutch Foreign Minister, Maxime Verhagen, that the Netherlands should prohibit showing the proposed movie on the Quran, incitement and violence by Freedom Party leader, Geert Wilders, on the basis of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. He added that, if the film is shown, Dutch products may be boycotted in Iran. www.trouw.nl/laatstenieuws/laatstenieuws/article938412.ece/
Verbied_film_Wilders_op_basis_van_mensenrechten

People Named Wilders Get Death Threats


A number of residents of Venlo – the town where Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders was born – who have the same surname, have received death threats. They received a letter saying that they must do everything in order to prevent the movie being shown. The recipients told the police that they are not related to Geert Wilders.