| It's prob'ly terribly sexist of me, but she's damned cute for a Dutch MP... |
Members of the suspected terror network Main City Group were planning to murder MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali at midnight on New Year's Eve, it was reported on Wednesday. A spokesman for the public prosecutor said police seized a document at the work premises of terrorist suspect, Jermaine W., 17, indicating that the murder was planned for midnight when a large amount of fireworks would be set off and muffle the sounds of shooting. The document gave a precise description of the whereabouts of Hirsi Ali, who went into hiding following the 2 November murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh. Justice officials are investigating whether the document's description matches one of Hirsi Ali's safe houses.W. was arrested on 10 November last year in Amersfoort. His brother, Jason W., was arrested the same day together with Ismail A. after a 14-hour stand-off with Special Forces operatives in The Hague. Jason W. is accused of throwing a hand grenade at police to thwart his arrest. The prosecutor claims that Jason W. and A. had planned to kill Hirsi Ali and right-wing independent MP Geert Wilders. Amsterdam Mayor Job Cohen and Amsterdam Social Affairs Alderman Ahmed Aboutaleb were also allegedly included on the "death list". Hirsi Ali co-wrote with Van Gogh the film "Submission". The film places a spotlight on domestic violence in the Islamic faith and is believed to be a prime motivation in Van Gogh's death. The Somali-born MP, herself a Muslim, was flown on 10 November by an Orion from navy base Valkenburg to another country (possibly the US) to ensure her safety. Hirsi Ali is expected to re-appear in Parliament after the Christmas recess on Tuesday. Wilders is also an outspoken critic of Islam, calling for a ban on Muslim immigration. He is also vehemently opposed to Turkey's accession to the European Union.
The Main City Group, known in Dutch as Hofstadgroep, is accused of planning various terrorist attacks. The man suspected of killing Van Gogh, Mohammed B., is alleged to hold links to the group. Samir A. — who will face court in February on accusations he planned attacks against Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and the Parliament in The Hague — is alleged to have been a fully-fledged member of the network, whose members are mainly young Muslims of North African ancestry.