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Dutch Muslim community decries 'extremism'
Holland's Muslim community has rallied to condemn 'extremism' and call for unity after an outspoken filmmaker was killed by a suspected Dutch Muslim. A 26-year-old Dutch-Moroccan has been charged with last week's murder of Theo van Gogh, whose criticism of Islam angered Muslims. Van Gogh is due to be cremated later on Tuesday in a ceremony to be broadcast live on television. Hundreds of people have laid flowers, candles and notes at the spot where Van Gogh was killed. They also left cactuses, a tribute to the filmmaker's prickly nature, and bottles of beer. Dozens of people circled the site on Tuesday. About 60 young Dutch Muslims wearing orange T-shirts reading "We won't put up with extremism any more" cycled through Amsterdam stopping at mosques to protest against the murder. They then joined a Dutch-Moroccan rally of several hundred in a park near the street where Van Gogh was killed. "Muslims in Amsterdam are very worried and afraid but we want to say that we are part of the community and we are not going to tolerate or accept this," said Samira Abbos, a 34-year-old Dutch-Moroccan television presenter. A wave of arson attacks has targeted at least eight mosques since the killing and a Muslim school in Eindhoven was badly damaged in a small bomb blast on Monday. Police said they suspected the school attack was in retaliation for the murder. Posted by: Fred 2004-11-09 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=48293 |