OMEN
02-12-2009, 03:14 PM
The controversial Dutch politician who produced the anti-Islam film 'Fitna' will attempt to fly to London today despite a UK travel ban.
The British government has banned Dutch MP Geert Wilders from entering the country on public security grounds.
Mr Wilders is planning to show his short film, which intercuts scenes of terrorism with passages from the Koran, in the British parliament.
'I will go. I will get into the plane tomorrow and fly to London Heathrow and I will see what will happen, if indeed the British government will arrest me or detain me or send me back or do whatever,' he said.
'But I will not and I cannot accept that in the European Union that elected politicians who have not been sentenced for any crime, or anything else, that they are refused,' he said.
A spokesman for Mr Wilders' Party for Freedom confirmed the politician planned to get on a flight to Britain today, adding he would probably take an afternoon flight.
Mr Wilders says the British government had sent him a letter saying it believed his statements about 'Muslims and their beliefs, as expressed in your film 'Fitna' and elsewhere, would threaten community harmony and therefore public security in the United Kingdom.'
Mr Wilders faces prosecution by an Amsterdam court for inciting hatred and discrimination.
Britain's Home Office confirmed that Wilders had been refused entry to Britain but declined comment on his plan to defy the ban.
'The government opposes extremism in all its forms. It will stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country,' a Home Office spokesman said.
Mr Wilders' film urged Muslims to tear out 'hate-filled' verses from the Koran and he has compared Islam to Nazism.
Malcolm Pearson, a member of Britain's upper chamber of parliament, the House of Lords, who had invited Wilders, told the BBC he would show the film to legislators on Thursday 'with or without Wilders'.
The Netherlands has complained to Britain about Mr Wilders' exclusion on the ground that Dutch members of parliament should be able to travel freely in the European Union, Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Verhagen said in a statement.
The Netherlands has condemned the film, which was aired over the Internet last March, and distanced itself from its content, saying the film served no other purpose than causing offence.
RTE
The British government has banned Dutch MP Geert Wilders from entering the country on public security grounds.
Mr Wilders is planning to show his short film, which intercuts scenes of terrorism with passages from the Koran, in the British parliament.
'I will go. I will get into the plane tomorrow and fly to London Heathrow and I will see what will happen, if indeed the British government will arrest me or detain me or send me back or do whatever,' he said.
'But I will not and I cannot accept that in the European Union that elected politicians who have not been sentenced for any crime, or anything else, that they are refused,' he said.
A spokesman for Mr Wilders' Party for Freedom confirmed the politician planned to get on a flight to Britain today, adding he would probably take an afternoon flight.
Mr Wilders says the British government had sent him a letter saying it believed his statements about 'Muslims and their beliefs, as expressed in your film 'Fitna' and elsewhere, would threaten community harmony and therefore public security in the United Kingdom.'
Mr Wilders faces prosecution by an Amsterdam court for inciting hatred and discrimination.
Britain's Home Office confirmed that Wilders had been refused entry to Britain but declined comment on his plan to defy the ban.
'The government opposes extremism in all its forms. It will stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country,' a Home Office spokesman said.
Mr Wilders' film urged Muslims to tear out 'hate-filled' verses from the Koran and he has compared Islam to Nazism.
Malcolm Pearson, a member of Britain's upper chamber of parliament, the House of Lords, who had invited Wilders, told the BBC he would show the film to legislators on Thursday 'with or without Wilders'.
The Netherlands has complained to Britain about Mr Wilders' exclusion on the ground that Dutch members of parliament should be able to travel freely in the European Union, Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Verhagen said in a statement.
The Netherlands has condemned the film, which was aired over the Internet last March, and distanced itself from its content, saying the film served no other purpose than causing offence.
RTE