Dutch PM rejects interpretation of anti-Islam film

 

THE HAGUE  ( 2008-03-28 10:05:24 ) : 

Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said on Thursday his government rejects the interpretation of Islam presented by far-right politician Geert Wilders in a short film posted on the Internet.
"The film equates Islam with violence. We reject that interpretation," said Balkenende at a press conference shortly after the film, titled "Fitna," appeared on the LiveLeak video sharing website.
In a short statement delivered both in Dutch and in English, Balkende said the government "regrets" that Wilders released his 17-minute movie on the Internet, as he had been vowing to do.
"We believe it serves no purpose other than to offend," he said. "But feeling offended must never be used as an excuse for aggression and threats."
The prime minister added that the government felt heartened "by the initial restrained reaction by Dutch Muslim organisations".
In initial reactions, those organisations seemed relieved that Wilders' film -- which mixed violent images of terror attacks with Koranic texts -- was not as bad as expected.
Some feared Wilders would destroy a copy of the Koran in the film. Instead it concludes with a page being torn out of a phone book, and text on the screen saying it is up to Moslems "to tear the spiteful verses from the Koran".