Junior defence minister Jack de Vries has delayed deciding on the appointment of a Muslim cleric for the army for two weeks because his favoured candidate has proved to be controversial.

The imam has written columns describing prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende as a ‘mad crusader’, Nos tv reports. In addition, he has said that Christians are always at war with Muslims and that Muslim men are entitled to refuse to shake hands with women.
MPs on Wednesday demanded that the appointment be cancelled.