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Amsterdam (The Netherlands), Jan. 22 : A far-right Dutch politician who gained global notoriety with a film claiming links between the Koran and terrorism is to be put on trial for his public statements against Islam.

According to the Independent, Geert Wilders, the leader of the extremist Freedom Party (PVV), said he was surprised that the Amsterdam Appeals Court has allowed his criminal prosecution for inciting hatred and of discriminating against Muslims by comparing their religion to Nazism.

Amsterdam - Dutch Queen Beatrix and Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende congratulated Barack Obama on his inauguration as 44th US president, the Dutch Royal Communication Office RVD said in a statement released on Wednesday.

Queen Beatrix sent the US president a telegram Tuesday night, wishing him "success."

Balkenende sent Obama a letter on behalf of the government following Tuesday's inauguration ceremony.

Amsterdam - An Amsterdam court ruled Wednesday that Dutch legislator Geert Wilders should be prosecuted for his alleged discriminatory remarks about Muslims in recent years.

Several citizens had petitioned the court to force the Justice Ministry to prosecute Wilders, the founder and leader of the liberal- right Freedom Party (PVV), which is known for its highly critical approach to Islam and immigrants.

Amsterdam - Dutch fans of US president-elect Barack Obama were making the final preparations on Monday for Obama-parties taking place in several Dutch cities.

The biggest party, organized by the Dutch Obama Fanclub founded several months ago, was due to take place in The Hague.

Hundreds of Obama fans will be watching the inauguration ceremony live on seven huge video screens in restaurant Raar in Scheveningen, near The Hague.

Among the guests is Henk Jan Ormel, chairman of the foreign affairs committee in the Dutch parliament.

Amsterdam - Former Bosnian-Serb president Radovan Karadzic was due to appear before the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague Monday afternoon in a new preliminary hearing.

The extra preliminary hearing was necessary to approve a revised indictment against Karadzic.

Last Thursday, the prosecution of the UN court finally transferred the translation of all documents to the former Bosnian-Serb leader.

The prosecution had completed the new indictment already in September, but the translation of all underlying evidence was not finished until last week.