Van Gogh murder suspect coming to trial
Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh was brutally murdered and police captured a suspect shortly after. He is now coming to trial. The
BBC has the story:
Van Gogh murder suspect in court
The alleged killer of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh has made his first appearance in court.
Mohammed Bouyeri, 27, faces charges of murder, terrorism, possession of an illegal firearm and impeding democracy.
Mr Van Gogh was killed after his film about the treatment of women in Islamic society was shown on television.
Mr Bouyeri was seized by the police shortly after the killing. He could be sentenced to life if found guilty.
Described by prosecutors as an Islamic extremist, Mr Bouyeri demanded "a more nuanced and professional" attitude from his accusers.
But he would not say anything else about his case despite prompting from judges.
His lawyer has previously said his client took full responsibility for his actions.
And a bit more:
A prosecutor alleged that Mohammed Bouyeri had calmly shot Mr Van Gogh as he cycled to work and then cut his throat.
The killer then pinned a letter to Mr Van Gogh's chest with a knife. The letter threatened the film's scriptwriter, Somali-born Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
Prosecutors say Mr Bouyeri intended to terrify Dutch society.
"In a letter to his family he said he had chosen to do his duty to Allah and to give his soul for paradise," prosecutor Frits van Straelen said. "[He] wanted to become a martyr."
Emphasis mine -- this is not martyrdom, this is an act of someone who practices a failed culture. Someone who could not engage in intelligent dialog. I have seen the film (it is available for download on the net -- use Google) and it isn't any more damning to the Islamofascist culture than what you read in the news or what is translated from Arabic to English.
Posted by DaveH at May 26, 2005 4:39 PM