Thursday, November 28, 2013

Seventh Dutch Jihadi Killed in Syria

Twenty-six year old Abu Jandal from Delft was killed in Syria. His family has informed the radical Islamic website dewarereligie.nl (True Religion) about this. According to the website, Jandal was a successful businessman who a year ago, decided to join the Islamic community in Syria. He had said earlier that he did not want to return to the Netherlands, but wanted to help with the introduction of Sharia in Syria, or otherwise, “die on the path of Allah.” He recently gave an interview to the Dutch daily Volkskrant, in which he said, “You anyhow have to die, so it’s great if you die for a noble goal.” http://www.elsevier.nl/Buitenland/nieuws/2013/11/Zevende-Nederlandse-jihadist-omgekomen-in-Syrie-1416688W/?pagenr=2#comments

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Dutch Authorities Worried about Pop Jihad

The National Coordinator for the Fight against Terrorism and Security (NCTV) considers the Jihadi lifestyle, “extremely worrying.” A new phenomenon is the Pop Jihad which flirts with the symbols of Al Qaeda which are spread by social networks. In this way, youngsters can rapidly radicalize. The NCTV has no data about the number of Dutch Pop Jihadis, but according to a spokesman, it concerns “a not insignificant number.” Some of them leave for Syria to fight. This concerns youngsters from all over the country. According to the daily Volkskrant, parents remain silent when their children go on jihad in order to avoid being stigmatized. www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2686/Binnenland/article/detail/3551228/2013/11/26/Nieuw-popjihad-flirten-met-de-symbolen-van-Al-Qaida.dhtml

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Authorities Investigate Auditing Firm Concerning Huge Bribery Case

The major Dutch accounting firm KPMG is being investigated by the Justice Department as to its involvement in the bribery with hundreds of millions of dollars, of Saudi Arabian government officials by Dutch builder Ballast Nedam. The prosecution thinks that not only the building company officials but also the KPMG auditors have played some role in this. The focus of the investigation concerns falsified contracts, the use of false names, secret payments via Switzerland and the establishment of an internal administration in order to register bribes in the period 1997-2004. KPMG said that the investigation concerns an auditor who has since retired. Ballast Nedam said that the investigation doesn’t involve the current management. www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2013/11/25/strafrechtelijke-vervolging-kpmg-vanwege-rol-bij-omkopingen-door-ballast-nedam/

Monday, November 25, 2013

Two Hundred Complaints about Police Abuse by Celtic Supporters

The Scottish Celtic soccer club has already received 200 complaints about violence by the Amsterdam police against them. Twenty-five complaints have already been passed onto their Dutch lawyer who is studying the material. The lawyer Jeroen Soeteman, said that he also has 7 DVD’s with compromising videos from surveillance cameras. He said that for individual complaints against policemen, one needs both pictures and witnesses. The Celtic club said that the complaints of the supporters about disproportionate violence seem reliable. www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2698/Sport/article/detail/3550482/2013/11/24/Al-200-klachten-van-Celtic-fans-over-politiegeweld-in-Amsterdam.dhtml

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Thousands of Policemen take Anti-Depressant Medication

At least one thousand Dutch policemen take anti-depressant medication against the phenomena of post-traumatic stress. Researchers of the Police Academy consider it a serious security problem. This is being revealed in a new book by Joost van der Wegen (Under Stress). Anti-depressant pills affect judgment, cause double vision, diminishes focus and can make policemen less alert. They also influence reaction capabilities. Driving a car also brings risks with it. According to Van der Wegen, some policemen have an inclination to murder or become suicidal on this medication. He is presently checking out 12 suicides by policemen to find their causes. http://www.metronieuws.nl/nieuws/duizenden-agenten-aan-sufmakende-pillen/SrZmku!uPIH1H1qLlKrg/

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Politician: Netherlands Partly Responsible for the Disaster in the Philippines

Marianne Thieme, faction leader of the Party for the Animals in Dutch Parliament, claims that the Netherlands is co-responsible for the typhoon disaster in the Philippines. She said that the Netherlands contributes to climate change with its consumption and its ways of production. She said that one can see the impact of it on the world. She added that in view of this, the Netherlands should feel responsible for the consequences of its actions. www.metronieuws.nl/nieuws/marianne-thieme-nederland-deels-verantwoordelijk-voor-ramp-op-filipijnen/SrZmks!q8PF89x3O21Sk/

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Historian: The Dutch Committed Genocide in Indonesia

American historian William H. Frederick said that the Dutch have always repressed the huge wave of ethnic violence in Indonesia, then-Dutch Indies, which started in 1945. He also said that what happened there can best be described as genocide. Frederick further stated that what has happened since with the Dutch authorities in the Netherlands can be called, “post-colonial loss of memory.” He has published an article in the scientific paper the Journal of Genocide Research. Frederick says that he knows no country which has so easily accepted mass murder in order to forget it. He criticized Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Frans Timmermans who considers that institutes should do research on this issue, but from their own budgets. www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/22065519/___Nederland_pleegde_genocide___.html

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Islamic University Suspected of Falsifying Degrees

The Alhuraa University in The Hague is suspected of issuing more than 100 fraudulent Bachelor and Masters degrees from 2007-2010. The prosecution has announced that the court case will come up this week. The University is not accredited by the Dutch-Flemish organization NVAO, which means that its degrees are not recognized by Dutch law. www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2686/Binnenland/article/detail/3546074/2013/11/16/Islamitische-universiteit-verdacht-van-vervalsen-diploma-s.dhtml

Monday, November 18, 2013

Riot Police Dress Up as Black Pete to Secure Festivities

In Groningen, the national arrival of Sinterklaas, patron bishop of the Netherlands children’s holiday took place. Among the Petes accompanying Sinterklaas, there were a number of undercover riot police dressed up as Black Pete. Under their costumes, they wore bullet proof vests and were armed. As far as is known, this is the first time in history that Sinterklaas had bodyguards during his national arrival event. www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2686/Binnenland/article/detail/3546421/2013/11/17/Sint-werd-beveiligd-door-arrestatiepieten.dhtml

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Absence of Monitoring System Creates Safety Risks in Railway Infrastructure

Parliamentarians from the Socialist Party and the Christian Union asked for clarification about information that railway infrastructure company ProRail has hidden from Parliament that the system which prevents trains from driving through red signals is not fully safe. If the system is not working properly, train drivers can drive through red signals without seeing any warnings on their dashboards. ProRail replied that Parliament knew when the system was installed, that there was no monitoring of it and Parliament has accepted this. www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/3545338/2013/11/15/Kamer-wil-opheldering-van-ProRail-over-verzwijgen-veiligheidsrisico-spoor.dhtml

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Scottish Soccer Fans: Amsterdam Police Abused Us

Fans of the Scottish soccer team Celtic, have collected video material about the violence they encountered from Amsterdam police before their team played against Ajax Amsterdam. They said that they knew that the Ajax supporters had a bad reputation, but not that the police did also. Even the Scottish police are shocked by the behavior of the Amsterdam police. A group of Ajax fans stole a Scottish flag and ran away, followed by the owners of the flag. The police intervened, aided by tens of undercover policemen whom the Scottish fans thought were Ajax hooligans. Earlier that day, 50 Scottish fans were attacked in a coffee shop by 200 Ajax hooligans. From the security camera in the cafĂ©, it can be seen how they broke windows with hammers and attacked the Scots. In the picture posted on the official website of the Celtic team, one can see how two undercover cops hold a Celtic fan while a third one knees him in the stomach. In another picture, a policeman holds a man while a dog bites his leg. A Scot is hit and wounded by a police car and his leg is broken in three places. He didn’t ask for help out of fear of the police and only agreed to be treated in a Glasgow hospital. He was one of tens of wounded among the Scots. www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2686/Binnenland/article/detail/3544580/2013/11/14/Celtic-fans-politie-in-Amsterdam-mishandelde-ons-op-de-Dam.dhtml

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Dutch Meat full of Bacteria and Harmful Enzymes

The Dutch Food and Commodities Authority warns that Dutch meat often contains mrsa bacteria and damaging esbl enzymes. The Authority takes about 2,000 samples a year. In 20% of the cases, the meat contains these enzymes. It can cause the inefficacy of antibiotics in people. Twelve percent of the samples contain mrsa – a bacteria which becomes increasingly difficult to fight with medication. One of the reasons of the bacteria explosion is that so many antibiotics are used in cattle raising. https://www.google.co.il/?gws_rd=cr&ei=Q0iDUp68FcvP0AWYnoCADA#q=TELEGRAAF,+vlees+bacterien&tbm=nws&tbs=qdr:d

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Health Inspectorate: Personnel in Old Age and Rehabilitation Homes of Poor Quality

The Inspectorate for Health Care (IGZ) is concerned about the quality and training of the personnel and the safety of the medication provided in Old Age and Rehabilitation homes. The Inspectorate said that this threatens the safety of the residents. www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/3540543/2013/11/07/Kwaliteit-personeel-verpleeghuis-slecht.dhtml

Monday, November 11, 2013

Threat to the Netherlands by Returning Syrian Jihadis

Dick Schoof, National Coordinator of the Fight against Terrorism said that Jihadis returning from Syria pose potential risks to Dutch society. They have been under the influence of radical groups such as Jahbat al-Nusra, and learned to use automatic weapons and home made explosives. He said that in view of their experiences and mental attitude, there is the risk of Mumbai-type attacks in the Netherlands. He was referring to the three-day terror attack in India in 2008. www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2013/11/10/potentieel-gevaar-en-terreurdreiging-door-terugkerende-jihadstrijders-syrie/

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Money Collected for Jihad in Yemen in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands and Belgium, money has been collected for the Jihad in Yemen. Also Ibrahim El Bey, a Moroccan youngster from Amsterdam who was killed last week in Yemen, was involved in this. In August, Dutch donors transferred 1,850 Euro to him. Of this, 1,460 were for the Jihad, 100 for charity and 90 for the security of the Koran school in the town of Damaj where he stayed. On the website, another Muslim called for sympathizers to contribute more money for “the Jihad against cursed Shiites.” www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2664/Nieuws/article/detail/3540234/2013/11/07/Jihad-in-Jemen-bekostigd-met-Nederlandse-giften.dhtml

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Amsterdam: Eight Policemen Wounded by Scottish Soccer Fans

On The Dam, Amsterdam’s main square, 8 policemen were wounded by Scottish soccer fans from the Celtic team. They came to Amsterdam for the Champions’ league game between their club and Ajax Amsterdam. The fans attacked the policemen with bottles and clubs. One policeman was unconscious. All 8 had to be brought to a hospital. In total, 39 people were arrested, they were partly Ajax fans and partly Celtic fans. http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1441/Ajax/article/detail/3540257/2013/11/06/Acht-agenten-gewond-bij-rellen-in-Amsterdam.dhtml

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Dutch Military Plane Shoots at Air Force Control Tower

A Dutch air force pilot mistakenly aimed at the wrong target. He had to shoot with the canon of his F-16 at a target on a remote beach. He missed and instead hit a control tower of the Dutch air force. In that control tower, the controllers have to watch air traffic and ships passing, so that Dutch military planes can run exercises in safety. This is not the first time the control tower was hit. In 2001, it was hit by bullets from a German airplane and in 1992, a Danish F-16 fired rockets at it, wounding a non-commanding officer. www.elsevier.nl/Nederland/nieuws/2013/11/Straaljager-schiet-per-ongeluk-op-controletoren-Vlieland-1403034W/

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Dutch Volunteer Dies in Yemen Fighting

A Dutch man of Moroccan origin, Ibrahim El Bey died in Damaj in Yemen during battles between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. He was in Yemen in order to study at the Salafist Theological School Dar al-Hadith. In the Nasr Mosque in Amsterdam, a special meeting was arranged for friends and acquaintances of El Bey. Apparently, additional Dutchmen are studying at this school. www.elsevier.nl/Nederland/nieuws/2013/11/Nederlander-om-het-leven-gekomen-bij-gevechten-in-Jemen-1403048W/

Monday, November 4, 2013

Dutch Postal Authority Issues Stamp with Purple Pete

Next week the Dutch Postal Authority PostNL will issue a series of 5 stamps on the occasion of the Sinterklaas holiday. Black Pete will show up on a stamp as Purple Pete. However, PostNL denies that this has anything to do with the United Nations Commission investigation on whether Black Pete is an expression of racism. www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2680/2013/article/print/detail/3537231/Paarse-Piet-op-geurende-Sinterklaaspostzegel.dhtml

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Council of Europe Criticizes Dutch Policy of Asylum Seekers

The European Committee for Social Rights has decided that asylum seekers who have finished their legal procedures to remain in the Netherlands, cannot be put on the street without the Dutch state taking care of them. This committee is part of the Council of Europe and reacted to a complaint by the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. The committee said that people who do not have a permit to remain in the Netherlands risk serious and irreparable damage to their lives when they are excluded from housing, food and clothing. Therefore, the state has to take all possible measures to supply them with their basic needs. Spokesperson of Deputy Minister Fred Teeven called the judgment of the committee “non-binding and preliminary.” The Deputy Minister said that the committee’s opinion has extraordinarily undesirable consequences. www.volkskrant.nl/vk/nl/2686/Binnenland/article/detail/3536712/2013/10/31/Nederland-mag-asielzoekers-niet-op-straat-zetten.dhtml