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| Europe |
| Dutch raid 'Kurd training ground' |
| 2004-11-13 |
| (CNN) -- Dutch police say they have raided a suspected paramilitary training ground for Kurdish militants in the southern Netherlands, arresting 29 people. Police said Friday's operation was unconnected the the November 2 killing of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh by a suspected Islamic radical. But they said it may have some links to recent arson attacks on churches and mosques. The raid took place at a campground believed to be used by the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK). The campground's manager was among those arrested. The Dutch Justice Department's international crime team, which carried out the raid, said it had reason to believe those arrested would be sent to Armenia to fight for the PKK following their training session. Of those arrested, 23 were taking part in the PKK training session, including five women, according to a statement from the Justice Department. The suspects varied in age between 15 and 33. Earlier this week, Dutch authorities launched an anti-terror raid in The Hague, resulting in a 15-hour stand-off and a grenade attack that wounded three police officers. Three suspects were arrested. At least six suspects are in custody in connection with van Gogh's killing. An Amsterdam court extended the mens' detention, prosecutors said Friday. Thursday's decision means the men, including chief suspect Mohammed Bouyeri, will remain in custody for 30 days while the investigation continues, prosecution spokesman Robert Meulenbroek told The Associated Press. Van Gogh had been threatened after the August airing of the movie "Submission," which he made with a right-wing Dutch politician who had renounced the Islamic faith of her birth. Van Gogh, 47 -- who said he was the great grandson of the brother of famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, who was also named Theo -- had received police protection after the film's release. His killer left a note threatening more attacks on Dutch politicians in the name of radical Islam, sparking a wave of retaliatory vandalism of mosques. The killing immediately rekindled memories of the 2002 assassination of Dutch anti-immigration politician Pim Fortuyn who was shot dead days before national elections. I'll take "Holland Gets a Clue" for $1,000, Alex. |
| Posted by:Zenster |
| #1 Islamacists kill someone, so they go out and arrest some secular Marxists. Makes perfect sense. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2004-11-13 6:41:44 PM |