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| Europe |
| Dutch officials: "Murder was not an honour killing" |
| 2003-12-06 |
| I noticed this story in another website about two weeks ago. The details were skimpy: a 16 year old girl was found dead, with her body partially burned. Very sketchy details about the "culprits", except that I had the feeling that important details were being deliberately withheld. I looked around some more today and I was right: The authorities have denied a newspaper report on Monday that there was a family link between the culprit and murdered schoolgirl 16-year-old Maja Bradaric. It refuted claims made in newspaper De Telegraaf that Maja was killed by her 18-year-old nephew, Goran M., a Bosnian Muslim of Nijmegen. It is alleged in the report that Goran committed premeditated murder, an NOS news report said. Sources close to the investigation claimed the schoolgirl, also of Bosnian descent, was killed because she had become too "westernised" and in regards boyfriends, had turned her back on the Muslim culture, bringing shame to her family circle. But the sources refused to label the murder an honour killing, a term frequently applied to deaths among the Muslim community. Such killings are designed to reverse any dishonour a victim has allegedly brought to a traditional Islamic family. Meanwhile, it is also alleged that Goran’s 18-year-old Muslim friend, Ferdi 0., helped him carry out the murder. Maja’s former boyfriend, 16-year-old Goran P., might also be prosecuted for being an accomplice to the crime. It is alleged that he is an important witness who has failed to come forward with information about the murder. Maja’s burning body was found shortly after midnight near the eastern city of Nijmegen on 18 November. The cause of death has not been made public, but an autopsy indicated the girl was dead before her body was set alight. The Dutch authorities are trying desperately to pin this on the former boyfriend and are steadfastly denying that this could have anything at all to do with religion or "culture". Some of the Dutch press I’ve been reading seems to say they’re having increasing problems with their "immigrant" populations. BTW, Maja’s funeral was attended by over a thousand people. Her death struck a nerve somewhere. |
| Posted by:Seafarious |