Killers of filmmaker threatened scriptwriter

THE killers of an outspoken Dutch filmmaker threatened his scriptwriter — a politician who renounced Islam and criticised its customs — in a letter that was pinned to the victim’s body with a knife.

Authorities have arrested nine suspected Muslim extremists in connection with the shooting and stabbing of Theo van Gogh and are looking into possible links between the suspects and foreign terrorist groups.

Prosecutors yesterday said they considered the crime an act of terrorism and would try the chief suspect identified as Mohammed B as a terrorist.