‘They don’t want to change our society, they want to destroy it’

HOLLAND is internationally famous for its tolerance.

However, yesterday's bombing at a Muslim school and last week's ritual slaughter of Theo van Gogh, one of Holland's most prominent filmmakers, by a Dutch/Moroccan Muslim, have both struck a blow for religious intolerance. Van Gogh, the 47-year-old great-grandson of Vincent van Gogh's brother, was murdered last Tuesday during Amsterdam's morning rush hour. His attacker, a 26-year-old identified only as Mohammed B, shot him first. Then, as Van Gogh begged for mercy, his attacker slit his throat from ear to ear and planted two daggers in his chest.

Mohammed B was arrested two kilometres from the crime scene after being shot in the leg, and will probably face life imprisonment.