A group of nine Muslims have been convicted by a Dutch court for belonging to a terrorist organization. The reason: the group incited hatred of non-Muslims according to the court's ruling. Dutch authorities say this ruling allows them to prosecute terrorists before they commit deadly acts.
Two of the nine men were convicted of attempted murder because they threw hand grenades at police during a standoff. The two were given sentences of 15 and 13 years. One of the men, Jason Walters, has an American father. The court ruled that Walters and Ismael Aknikh acted with premeditation when they wounded five police officers with a hand grenade.
The court found that the group's leader was Mohammad Bouyeri, the man convicted of murdering filmmaker Theo van Gogh last year. Bouyeri is already serving a life sentence for killing van Gogh and judges declined to give him a further sentence.
The court held that the group's purpose was 'stirring up, and or inciting hatred, and or threatening' non-Muslims.
Judge Rene Elkebout said, 'Who sows hate lays the basis for crimes that can cause grave fear.' Hate crimes 'strike at the heart of the democratic order,' he said.
Police said that the members of the group attended 'cult-like' meetings at Bouyeri's home. Their spiritual leader was Redouan al-Issar. Al-Issar left Holland shortly before van Gogh's murder.
The prosecution presented wiretaps gathered by the Dutch secret service as evidence against the nine defendants as well as chat room messages from their computers, weapons and al-Qaeda propaganda.
There is no word as to whether or not the defendants will appeal.
This decision marks a significant change in the way Dutch authorities are prosecuting terror suspects as the Netherlands continues to try to find a balance between tolerance and freedom and protecting itself from the increasing threat of radical Islam.
