After the release of the notorious fifteen-minute anti-Islam film by far right-wing Dutch PM Geert Wilders known as “Fitna,” there has been “fire.” However, the fire has come in the form of lawsuits.
After the release of “Fitna” which is a film that bashes the Islamic faith, its creator, the far right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders is facing several lawsuits. The first lawsuit will come from Danish cartoonist
Kurt Westergaard as cgull had written earlier today. In cgull’s article, Wilders had used the cartoon of Muhammad with a bomb in his turban without Westergaard’s permission.
The cartoon was originally published back in 2006 across Denmark. In turn, the cartoon had sparked backlash and outcry throughout the Muslim world. Many Danish embassies throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Northern Africa were attacked. A few months back, the cartoon was reprinted after learning of an assassination attempt on Westergaard’s life.
Currently, Westergaard’s original drawing is up for auction.
There was an internet audio tape released by Al-Qaeda with Osama Bin Laden’s still imagine threatening the European Union (EU) over the reprint of the Muhammad cartoon.
In a sense, there is the irony of the lawsuit by Westergaard. Early in March, Westergaard defended Wilders and the release of Fitna. Now, it looks as if Westergaard and Wilders will be on the opposite sides of the courtroom.
But, this is not the only lawsuit that Wilders will be facing.
For those that have watched Fitna, there is the gruesome scene of the execution of filmmaker Theo van Gogh. In the film, it is revealed that Wilders did not show the picture of Mohammed Bouyeri (Mohammed B), the one who murdered van Gogh.
Instead, Wilders showed the picture of the
Salah Edin, a Dutch-Moroccan rapper. Now, Edin is also filing a
lawsuit against Wilders. To top that off, my friend Geerhard, who is my source from Holland, adds that Salah Edin’s record label “Top Notch” wants to sue Wilders as well.
Geerhard said that a lawyer also wants to sue Wilders. However, further information about the lawyer has yet to be released. By adding the lawsuit by the unnamed lawyer, there could be at least four lawsuits against Wilders.
Rob Muntz, a Dutch director will be seeking a lawsuit against Wilders. Muntz has explained that Wilders used a clip of an interview that he conducted with Theo van Gogh. Like the Muhammad cartoon without Westergaard’s permission, Wilders used the interview clip without Muntz’s permission.
Despite all of that, Wilders said he will tour the country and start a national debate.
Geerhard in his words in regards to the lawsuits: “Wilders is screwed.” But, Geerhard said that he thinks that it would be by a bullet than the pending lawsuits against him. In positive news, I had asked Geerhard on the situation in Holland. He said there has been no acts of violence as of yet.
