| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Threatening al-Qaeda letter doesn't exist |
| 2004-07-19 |
| Dutch Interior Minister Johan Remkes incorrectly claimed last week that a threatening letter from terror network al-Qaeda was mailed to the United Nations in New York. The letter — which supposedly warned of terrorist attacks in Brussels and The Hague — does not appear to exist, despite the fact that Minister Remkes said last week the letter was being examined by the Dutch secret service AIVD. An Interior Ministry spokesman has told television current affairs programme NOVA and daily newspaper De Volkskrant that an mistake was made. "The matter is at that moment still being investigated," he said. An anonymous source within one of the investigation services told newspaper De Volkskrant that Remkes acted extremely poorly. He said it is incomprehensible that the minister made a statement despite the fact the matter had not been fully investigated. The error is also noteworthy given the fact that since the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, the fight against terrorism has been top priority, Dutch public news service NOS reported. Moreover, the Netherlands has held the rotating European Union Presidency since 1 July and the EU appointed in March a Dutchman, Gijs de Vries, as the new European anti-terrorism co-ordinator. Socialist Party MP Harry van Bommel has demanded answers from Remkes about the "phantom letter". If the minister fails to give an adequate response, he wants to recall the Parliament from its summer recess. It was reported on 15 July that a letter, allegedly from al-Qaeda, had been sent to the UN headquarters in New York warning that European organisations in The Hague and Brussels were potential targets for terror attacks. The announcement came after the Dutch government issued a general terror alert on 9 July, leading to heightened security at government and other buildings, train stations and infrastructure points. The Dutch secret service AIVD has indications that Islamic extremists are possibly preparing terrorist attacks against the west of the Netherlands or "soft targets" where large crowds gather. Minister Remkes said on Saturday the alert has not been rescinded and Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende has cautioned the public to be watchful for suspicious activity. Two arrests carried out on Saturday allegedly thwarted a violent attack against Dutch or foreign soldiers participating in the Nijmegen Four Day March, scheduled to start on Tuesday. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |