Dutch bishops urge tolerance after murder sparks religious attacks

Published: 2004-11-22

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (CNS) -- Catholic bishops in the Netherlands appealed for interreligious understanding after the murder of a film director by an Islamic militant sparked a wave of attacks on mosques and churches. "The threat of religiously motivated terrorism is fueling fears. Dutch society has lost its alleged invulnerability to such things," the bishops' statement said. "When the constitutional state is in jeopardy, steps must be taken to ensure security. But we should also remember fundamentalist terrorism is the work of a small group of extremists. The vast majority of Muslims know Islam preaches only peace," the bishops said. In a Nov. 11 "Open Letter to Dutch Society," the bishops said they had set up a Council for Interreligious Dialogue to address anti-Muslim attitudes in the aftermath of the Nov. 2 killing of film director Theo van Gogh, a distant relative of impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh. At least five churches and nine mosques were burned after the filmmaker's murder. Dutch officials said a Dutch-Moroccan Islamic extremist, Mohammed Bouyeri, shot and stabbed van Gogh after having been angered by his latest film, "Submission," which pilloried Muslim views on women. Several dozen suspected militants also were detained in connection with the murder.

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