DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

22 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

Man jailed for 10 years for plotting ‘terrorist attack’ on Geert Wilders

November 18, 2019
Photo: Despositphotos.com
Photo: Despositphotos.com

A man who posted a video on Facebook threatening to send anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders ‘to hell’ has been jailed for 10 years.

Junaid I., a 27-year-old Pakistani national, travelled to the Netherlands in August last year after Wilders announced a competition for cartoons of the prophet Muhammad. In the video, recorded in Urdu, I. pledged to do everything in his power to stop ‘the dog’ Wilders.

Unusually, the 10-year sentence was considerably higher than the six years demanded by the prosecution service. Lawyers for I. did not say immediately if he would appeal.

In court, I. denied that he intended to murder Wilders, but the panel of judges said they were satisfied that he was planning a ‘terrorist attack on a politician’.

‘Wilders was exercising his freedom of speech. The suspect wanted to carry out an attack in one of the parliament buildings: the heart of Dutch democracy,’ wrote the judges.

‘The attack would therefore have meant disrupting of the fundamental political and constitutional structures of the Netherlands. Such an attack would have caused a wave of fear.’

The PVV party leader praised the judges on Twitter after the verdict was delivered.

Wilders cancelled the cartoon competition at the end of August following weeks of mass demonstrations in Pakistan and a march from Lahore to Islamabad, encouraged by the Islamist political party TLP.

The next day Afghan refugee Jaweed S. stabbed two American tourists at Amsterdam’s Central Station in an attack which he said was provoked by the cartoon contest. The 20-year-old was jailed last month for 26 years and eight months. The court heard he had travelled from his home in Germany with the intention of killing as many people as possible.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Crime Politics
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Dutch house prices up 10% on a year ago, latest figures show
Police confirm bodies in car are missing children and father
Country safety reports for asylum claims to be kept secret
"The Netherlands is innovative yet surprisingly traditional"
Foundations and the future: what you need to think about
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now