Dutch MP Geert Wilders deported after flying to
Britain to show anti-Islamic film
A
controversial Dutch politician has been sent back to Holland after
trying to enter Britain to show his anti-Muslim film in the House of
Lords.
By Christopher Hope, John Bingham and Bruno Waterfield
Last Updated: 6:19AM GMT 13 Feb 2009
Mr Wilders was told he could not come
to Britain on public order grounds
Photo: EPA
Geert Wilders had been invited to Westminster to show his 17-minute
film Fitna, which criticises the Koran as a "fascist book", by a member
of the House of Lords. But on Tuesday Jacqui Smith, the Home
Secretary refused Mr Wilders entry because his opinions "would threaten
community security and therefore public security" in the UK. Mr Wilders went
ahead with his trip anyway, and flew from Amsterdam to London on a British
Midland flight.When he arrived at Heathrow airport he was met by two plain
clothed officers from the UK Border Agency.As he was being led away, Mr Wilders
said: "I am not nervous but is this how Great Britain welcomes a
democrat?"Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said Holland would press for a
reversal of the travel ban. Earlier
on the flight, Mr Wilders had launched a savage attack on the
Government. He said: "They (the British Government) are the biggest
bunch of cowards in Europe. "I'm coming because I am invited by
one of your members of parliament. I'm not provocative. I am an elected
political representative. I am a democrat. I use my freedom of speech.
I am using all the democratic means I have."Mr Wilders has urged the Dutch
government to ban the Koran and warned of a "tsunami" of Islam swamping the
Netherlands. His
film Fitna sparked violent protests around the Muslim world last year
for linking verses in the religious text with footage of terrorist
attacks. Mr Wilders had been due to attend a screening of Fitna, organised by
Ukip peer Lord Pearson, in the Lords.Lord Pearson said the screening would go
ahead yesterday "with or without Mr Wilders". In
a joint statement, he and cross-bench peer Baroness Cox said they were
"promoting freedom of speech" and accused the Government of "appeasing"
militant Islam. They added: "Geert Wilders' Fitna film,
available on the web, is not a threat to anyone. It merely suggests how
the Koran has been used by militant Islamists to promote and justify
their violence. "They react in fury and menace to our intention
to show the film and have boasted that their threats of aggressive
demonstrations prevented its previous showing in the Mother of
Parliaments."In the Lords, Lord Pearson asked Lord West of
Spithead, a home office minister, said: "Do you think this situation
would occur if Mr Wilders had said ban the Bible?" Lord West
replied: "I certainly don't think we are guilty of appeasement in any
way whatsoever. The Government and I are great believers in freedom of
expression. "This is based not purely on Fitna, on that
particular film. It is based on a range of factors, including
prosecution in the Netherlands for incitement and discrimination and
for other statements as well." The National Secular Society
said Miss Smith had made a mistake in denying an application by a
"democratically-elected politician from a sovereign state who wants to
come and express an opinion". The ban was supported by the
Muslim Council of Great Britain. A spokesman said: "Geert Wilders has
been an open and relentless preacher of hate - there is little
difference between his views and those of the far right."
More Details:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/12/far-right-dutch-mp-ban-islam
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/4603165/Dutch-MP-Geert-Wilders-deported-after-flying-to-Britain-to-show-anti-Islamic-film.html
http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2149956.ece/Geert_Wilders_stopped_in_London
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1141622/Banned-Dutch-MP-flies--sent-straight-home-again.html
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