Bank Gives Umbrellas Away to Protect People against Owl

Rabobank in Purmerend is handing out free umbrellas to protect citizens against a big owl.  The municipality is also recommending citizens to use umbrellas while outdoors.  The big owl has attacked a number of people and has bitten several people severely, including handicapped people.

http://www.powned.tv/nieuws/binnenland/2015/02/antioehoe_plus_in_purmerend.html

Parliamentarians Complain about Police Computer Consultant

A very expensive consultant was hired to solve the various computer problems the police force are experiencing on a national level. After payments were made of 1.3 million Euros over two years, the problems still haven’t been solved.  The payment amount was far above the government’s norm but the Minister of Justice Opstelten gave special approval.  Parliament now demands explanations from the minister.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/kamer-wil-opheldering-over-automatiseringsproblemen-politie~a3870285/

Hate Imams to Speak in Utrecht

The World Wide Relief organization based in Hilversum has organized a charitable event to take place in Utrecht on March 1^st.  Radical imams will speak there, including one from Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Asim al-Hakeem.  He is of the opinion that the Taliban represents Islam, and that Jews and Christians should be killed.

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1039/Utrecht/article/detail/3870175/2015/02/20/Benefietgala-met-haatimams-naar-andere-locatie-Utrecht.dhtml

Italian Daily: Dutch King Must Pay for Damage in Rome

The Italian daily, Il Tempo, calls for the Dutch king, Willem Alexander, to pay for the damage to public property that the soccer hooligans of Feyenoord have caused in Rome.  It writes to the King that what his co-nationals have done in Rome is an indelible shame to his country.

http://www.elsevier.nl/Nederland/nieuws/2015/2/Italiaanse-krant-koning-betaal-schade-Rome-1711372W/

Dutch Somalian Suicide Bomber had Criminal Record

The Dutch Somalian, Ismail Muse Ahmed Gulet, who blew himself up together with Lula Ahmed Tahirin Mogadishu, killing at least 25 people, had a lengthy criminal past.  This terrorist, who had lived in Tilburg, had been involved in an attack in Djibouti in 2014, where 6 Dutch soldiers were wounded. He was also involved in a separate attack on a restaurant in Djibouti.

http://www.metronieuws.nl/binnenland/2015/02/nederlandse-somalier-eerder-in-beeld-bij-aanslagen

Feyenoord Soccer Fans Wound Police and Damage Property in Rome

Fans of the Rotterdam Feyenoord soccer club clashed with police in Rome before a game with the local club, Roma.  Several police officers were hurt after flares and other objects were thrown at them.  The historic fountain on the Piazza de Spagna, which had recently been restored, was damaged, some say irreparably. Dozens of supporters were arrested, fined and deported.

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31544844

Dutch Somalis Kill 25 People in Mogadishu

The press agency, AFP, quotes the Somali intelligence services that say that the homicide bombing in the Somalian capital Mogadishu was carried out by two Somalians with Dutch passports.  They blew up a hotel and 25 people were killed. The woman was a part-time employee of the hotel, and the two had both Dutch and Somalian passports. 

http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2015/02/21/dodental-van-aanslag-in-somalie-loopt-op-dader-woonde-in-delft/

Former Dutch Queen Juliana Bought Painting Stolen from Jews

It has now become known that in 1948, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, then still a princess, bought a painting from the estate of a Nazi who was known for trading in stolen Jewish property.  The painting, by the Flemish painter Paul Bril, originally belonged to a Jewish Dutchmen, Jos H. Gosschalk. It was bought via a Dutch state institution, SNK. Restitution expert Gerard Aalders says that this could not have been an honest business transaction.  He assumes that the SNK wanted to please the princess. Professor Ekkart, who investigates stolen art in royal possession, has said that he will investigate the matter.  

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/23703816/___Juliana_kocht_roofkunst___.html

Fearful Dutch Police Lock Police Bureaus

Several dozens of terror suspects have to regularly report to the police.  These suspects are mainly jihadis who have either returned from Syria or have been prevented from going there.  Several police bureaus have now been locked up and the terror suspects now have to report their attendance via the intercom.  Policies now differ between various police precincts. The AD paper’s title of the article is “Fearful Police Agents Lock up Police Offices.”

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/3854607/2015/02/19/Bange-agenten-houden-politiebureau-op-slot.dhtml

Dutch Soccer Mob Fights Police in Rome

Five hundred to a thousand drunk supporters of the Rotterdam soccer club, Feyenoord, clashed with the riot police in Rome.  Feyenoord is scheduled to play the local Roma club for the Europa league.  In the neighborhood where the clashes took place, shops were closed down.  When Rotterdam supporters threw bottles at the police, twelve of them were arrested. http://www.football-italia.net/62810/feyenoord-fans-clash-pre-roma

Earthquake Victims Take Gas Company and Dutch State to Court

In the province of Groningen, 120 people have taken the gas company, NAM, and the Dutch state to court.  They are also suing for immaterial damages due to earthquakes which were caused by the extraction of the gas.  Their lawyer, Pieter Huitema, says that the immaterial damages consist of psychological problems, burnout, stress, and fear.  Huitema said that he hears stories about people who have had to flee their homes during earthquakes and about people who no longer dare to invite guests to their homes.  Twenty of the plaintiffs are being treated by doctors or psychiatrists.

http://www.elsevier.nl/Nederland/nieuws/2015/1/Groningers-slepen-NAM-voor-de-rechter-1688746W/

Deputy Minister: Quarter of a Million Dutchmen Addicted to Gaming

Public Health Deputy Minister Van Rijn says that almost a quarter of a million Dutchmen between the ages of 13-40 are addicted to gaming, according to the criteria which have been defined by behavioral psychologists.  Van Rijn wants to open a discussion with Dutch producers of hardcore internet videogames, and wants them to pay more attention to the prevention of problematic gaming.

www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/23686288/__Kwart_miljoen_aan_gamen_verslaafd__.html

Imams Coming to Incite in the Netherlands

The liberal party (VVD) has asked the government to prevent imams with a highly intolerant background from coming to the Netherlands.  Parliamentarian Azmani says that there is a major risk to public order and safety if the big event in the town of Rijswijk, where these imams are supposed to speak, will go ahead as planned, in March.  Azmani wonders whether there are other possible measures of preventing this extremist event from taking place. 

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/3852340/2015/02/16/VVD-Komst-omstreden-imams-weigeren.dhtml

Amsterdam Police Have Lost Track of Underworld Murders

Hanneke Ekelmans is the head of the Amsterdam Police Detective Department.  She said that initially the underworld killings in Amsterdam were fairly transparent:  there were two gangs, one controlled by Gwenette Martha, who has in the meantime been killed, and one led by Benaouf A. The gang war, known as the Mocro war, started in 2012 over 200 kg of cocaine which had disappeared. Since then, the drug market has splintered and is being run by various smaller gangs.  The recent murders can no longer be blamed on the 2 large gangs mentioned.  There are now dozens of smaller ones which makes the situation extremely difficult for the police to analyze, said Ekelmans.

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/liquidatiegolf-groeit-uit-tot-onoverzichtelijk-conflict~a3851585/

Pilots Criticize Government Safety Plan

The association of Dutcht commercial pilots rejects the plan of deputy minister Wilma Mansveld, who wants to establish a website, managed by the United Nations, for which will provide safety information to pilots. Mansveld  developed this idea after the Malaysian airplane was shot down last year over Eastern Ukraine, which caused the deaths of almost 200 Dutch passengers. The Dutch pilots believe that the Netherlands is primarily responsible for providing information through its own institutions and such a website should be established only if necessary. The pilots say that an international website would take many years to establish, that accuracy will suffer from the diversity in systems between countries, and that due to its voluntary character, not all information will be made available.

http://nos.nl/artikel/2016830-piloten-wijzen-veiligheidsplan-mansveld-af.html

Dutch Railways Pays Maximum Fine as its Clients are Dissatisfied

The Dutch authorities have fined the national Dutch railways, NS, the maximum amount of 2.75 million euro because its clients were not sufficiently satisfied with its performance in 2014. An additional fine of 2.75 million euro for 2013, which would have been waived if there had been improvement in client satisfaction in 2014, has now become definitive.

www.volkskrant.nl/economie/maximale-boete-voor-ns-vanwege-ontevreden-klanten~a3850017/

Condemned Jihadist Escapes the Netherlands

Minister of Justice, Ivo Opstelten (Liberal) has informed parliament that all information required about jihadist Omar H. was known to all relevant services, including the prosecution, when he fled the country.  In 2013, H. was condemned to a year-long sentence, of which eight months was a prison term and of which four months was probation. The prosecution appealed to the higher court while H. was freed after having served his prison term. The appeals court increased the sentence to include a longer prison term, which meant that H. had to return to jail.  The prosecution prided itself in the speed in which it obtained the court’s decision related to terrorism.  In the meantime, H. left the country.

http://www.powned.tv/nieuws/binnenland/2015/02/iedereen_wist_dat_omar_h_zou_v.html

Billions of Euros of Damage due to Gas Drilling in Groningen

Tens of thousands of houses in the province of Groningen have to be strengthened in order to make them earthquake-proof.  The quakes in the province, caused by the extraction of gas, are becoming stronger and stronger.  Engineers estimate that at least 30,000 houses, and possibly even 90,000, will have to be reinforced.  It is estimated that the total cost of these renovations will be 6.5 billion euros.  It may mean that the inhabitants will have to leave their homes for a certain time.  This is written in a secret government report which the daily Telegraaf has uncovered.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/23649264/__Groningen_veilig_kost_6_5_mld__.html

Asylum Centers: 2,700 Violent Incidents within 6 Months

In the political asylum centers in the Netherlands, 2,741 violent incidents were registered over the first six months of 2014.  These results come from the COA, the central body which deals with asylum seekers.  These figures include 80 suicide attempts, 13 suicides, and 4 cases of self-immolation. 

http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/ruim-2700-incidenten-in-nederlandse-asielcentra~a3845615/

Rail Infrastructure Company Clueless Why All Trains Stopped

The Dutch railway infrastructure company, Prorail, has not yet understood why a week ago, all trains suddenly stopped.  The train companies and the various travelers’ organizations are very worried because it might happen again. Arrien Kruyt of the travelers’ organization, Rover, demands action from Prorail regarding the heads of its computer department, the more so as a hundred million euros have been invested in the company’s new computer systems.

http://www.spitsnieuws.nl/binnenland/2015/02/prorail-weet-niet-wat-er-misging

Dutch Border is Poorly Guarded; Military Police Busy Thwarting Terrorist Threats

There is a shortage of military police available because its staff members are busy guarding various buildings in view of recent terror threats. As a result, there is a shortage of personnel available for border control.  This may enable even more illegal immigrants and human traffickers to enter the Netherlands.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/23649491/__Deur_open_voor_illegalen__.html

German Police Investigate Black Pete

The Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten newspaper has written that the prosecutor’s office in the town of Potsdam has received a complaint against Black Pete.  The plaintiff, a former member of the municipal council, Andres Menzel, says that Black Pete is discriminatory and racist.  The prosecution now has to investigate whether blackface Dutchman walking through Potsdam could be found guilty of incitement and of insulting others.  Menzel has written to the parliament of the state in which he demands that action will be taken against the mayor of Potsdam, so that next year there will be no repetition of inhumane activities such as appearing in blackface and “behaving like slaves”.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/23641037/__Onderzoek_Duitse_Zwarte_Piet__.html

Dutch Jihadist Commits Suicide Attack in Iraq

On its station, al-Bayan Radio, IS has announced that the Dutch jihadist, Abu Abdul Rahman al-Hollandi, blew himself up in the Iraqi town of Fallujah.  No further information is yet available on possible victims.  Last year, three Dutch jihadists committed suicide attacks in Iraq.

http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1013/Buitenland/article/detail/3844393/2015/02/04/Nederlandse-jihadist-pleegt-zelfmoordaanslag-in-Irak.dhtml

35 Churches Damaged by Gas Drilling

The Foundation for Old Churches in Groningen says that there are 35 churches which have been damaged as a result of local gas drilling.  A year ago, the historic church in the township of Eenum was repaired.  It has now sustained damage, yet again, to its 800 year old walls, due to earth tremors resulting from the gas drilling being done in the province.

http://www.noordnieuws.nl/ipad/index.asp?p=144614

Police Officers Increasingly Busy Dealing with Mentally Confused People

Police officers are increasingly confronted with confused people who cause public disturbances or have become violent.  While in 2011 the police was called 40,500 times to deal with those with psychological problems, in 2013 the calls increased to 52,000.  The police trade union, ACP, wants a study made to analyze whether or not the police are able to cope with these people who are not criminals.   ACP chairman, Gerrit van de Kamp says that the police had warned the authorities about this problem when the budget was cut for mental health care.  Now the problem has moved to the Dutch streets and neighborhoods.

http://www.spitsnieuws.nl/binnenland/2015/02/politiebond-wil-onderzoek-naar-verwarde-mensen

Mice Destroy Dikes

Mice have damaged about 450 km of peat dikes in the province of Friesland.  They eat the grassroots so that the grass on the dikes slowly dies.  The same problem exists for farmers who see their pastures damaged and turned into prairies.  750 farmers have incurred damage to the cost of 70 million Euro.  At present, an inventory of all the damage caused by mice is being made.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/23592599/__Muizen_vreten_dijken_kapot__.html

Students’ Trade Union: Students Will Leave for Belgium

Tom Hoven, Chairman of the National Student Trade Union, says that the elimination of the basic student grant and its replacement by a loan system will lead to emigration of students.  There are many countries where students pays less tuition or no tuition at all.  In particular, Flemish universities will benefit.  In the past few years, the number of Dutch students in Belgium has already increased.  The quality of teaching is similar, tuition is much lower, and housing costs are lower.  Hoven added that if 3% of students remain abroad, the Netherlands will lose in the long run, as despite its savings on grants, it will lose the tax revenues of graduates.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/23592269/___Student_naar_buitenland___.html

Snowden: Dutch Intelligence Services are Servants of America

Whistleblower Edward Snowden has said on the Dutch Nieuwsuur television program that the Dutch intelligence services, MIVD and AIVD, are servants of the American NSA. He dais that the Dutch always do what they are asked and give the NSA unlimited access to their information.  Snowden concluded that the work of the Dutch intelligence services is essentially done on behalf of the Americans.

http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2015/01/22/terugkijken-interview-snowden-nederlandse-inlichtingendiensten-doen-alles-wat-vs-vragen/