Dutch politician to tour world with anti-Islam film

Amsterdam - Dutch anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders confirmed on Monday he would tour Britain, France and Israel in the coming months to present his controversial Islam-critical film Fitna.

On March 27, the leader of the Dutch Freedom Party PVV released a 16-minute political film on the Internet warning of the spread of radical Islam and the alleged "Islamization" of the Netherlands.

Quoted in Dutch daily newspaper Spits on Monday, Wilders said he was travelling abroad to create international "alliances for peace and against Islamization."

The leader of the rightwing Freedom party and one of the most outspoken critics of Islam in the Netherlands, Wilders has received numerous death threats and has personal security guards around the clock.

At the same time, he has also received support from other rightwing organizations such as the US thinktank American Freedom Alliance, which awarded him its so-called Freedom Award.

Prior to its release in March, Fitna was expected to spark much criticism from Muslims and non-Muslims alike, and the Dutch government had even feared for the security of Dutch nationals in Arab and Muslim countries.

Although there was some international criticism mainly from Iran, Jordan and Pakistan, threats or violence against Dutch targets from the larger Muslim world did not materialize.

Non-Muslim Dutch and Western critics of the film concluded that the short film was not the extreme anti-Muslim propaganda that had initially been expected.

Attempts to prosecute Wilders for alleged discrimination, racism or incitement, also failed after the Dutch public prosecutor established Fitna did not violate national legislation against such acts. (dpa)

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