Press Release
Taskforce Problematic Behaviour Marks the Beginning of Anti-Islam Policy Level 2

The AIVD (intelligence service) warns in their annual report for “radical Islamic preachers” and their influence on Muslim children who follow Arabic lessons or Quran studies. According to Dick Schoof, director-general of the AIVD. after-school lessons in mosques or community centers are potential breeding grounds for “jihadism” and the children are raised to become potential terrorists.

The lessons would supposedly indoctrinate young Muslims with “bigoted and anti-democratic” messages. Preachers are said to create a “parallel society” within the Netherlands and they would pose a threat to integration and democratic rule.

The choice of words of the AIVD is highly conspicuous as it portrays a large group of Muslims as a threat and creates an enemy image of Muslim children that want to learn their religion. They are being portrayed as potential terrorists. The fact that this can be said unabashedly is disturbing, even more disturbing is the fact that no one has disapproved this. Worse still, people let themselves be drawn into the anti-Islam propaganda.

Mosques were also targeted. House of Representatives passed a bill unanimously to check foreign cash flows of mosques exclusively by means a parliamentary mini-survey. This is to limit or even stop these foreign cash flows. The foreign investors would supposedly import a “radical message” that would undermine democratic rule.

A few weeks ago, the Islamic secondary school the Cornelius Haga Lyceum was a target. The school was said to have ties with a terrorist group and would spread anti-democratic ideas. Moreover, it was said that the educational institution itself undermined democratic rule. Even Prime-Minister Mark Rutte himself interfered in the battle and called upon parents to remove their children from the school. Several political parties called for the immediate shutdown of the school.

In addition, even Islamic charity organizations were not spared this week. Like the Salaam Foundation that undertakes development projects and is currently in the process of building an orphanage in Morocco. The NCTV warned that a Saudi extremist who calls for “Jihad” was involved with the project.

It would be naive to think that the events mentioned above are individual events not linked to each other. On the contrary, there is every indication they are part of a major campaign to counteract the continuation of Islam under the guise of “extremism” and “Salafism”.

In this context, the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment, Wouter Koolmees, wrote a letter to the House of Representatives. In his letter he described what is needed to limit and stop the cash flows from “unfree” countries to mosques in the Netherlands and how to deal with “problematic behavior”. According to the minister, this behavior is not forbidden by law but has to be dealt with because it counteracts integration and is anti-democratic.

A Taskforce Problematic Behavior & Unwanted Foreign Investment (PG&OBF) has already been established. This taskforce consisting of ministers from Social Affairs and Employment, Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations (AIVD included), Justice and Security (NCTV included) and Foreign Affairs work together closely with police to advise municipalities and communities more strongly and proactively as to counteract radical thinking (i.e. Islam).

This explains the mud-slinging of official authorities without presenting definitive evidence (just like in the situations described above). Put differently; the mud-slinging is being done consciously and according to policy. It is executed by naming Islam and Muslims together with violence, extremism and intolerance.

We have proven countless times the dangerous discourse of the assimilation policy and the anti-Islam policy. However it is increasingly noticeable that the Netherlands have now stepped over to anti-Islam policy level 2, whereby they now, more than ever, openly and willingly bypass and undermine their own democratic constitutional state in the battle against Islam. The irony is that of all people, the guardians of democratic rule themselves pose the greatest danger for democratic rule itself.

Our call to the Muslim community is to take the assimilation policy and the anti-Islam policy seriously. Let us set aside our differences and speak out voice against this stigmatizing and discriminatory policy with one voice.

[وَأَطِيعُواْ اللّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلاَ تَنَازَعُواْ فَتَفْشَلُواْ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَاصْبِرُواْ إِنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ]

“And obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute and lose courage and then your strength would depart; and be patient, Indeed Allah is with the patient.” [Surah al Anfal: 46]

Okay Pala
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir
in The Netherlands