Hirsi Ali to receive EU protection
Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali-born former Dutch MP and target of death threats from Islamic fundamentalists is to receive EU protection.
Ms Hirsi Ali, who has been the subject of numerous death threats, has been under high level security since 2004 when Theo van Gogh was murdered by an Islamist extremist. A letter found on the Dutch film-maker’s body threatened her by name.
She left the Netherlands for the United States in May 2006 following a row over the details of her original asylum request for the Netherlands and, in October 2007, the Dutch government stopped paying for her security detail. The Dutch view was that since she was no longer in the country she was no longer their responsibility and the US position is that its government does not pay for personal protection of citizens.
Consequently, she has returned to Europe and, with the backing of several prominent French intellectuals, is seeking French citizenship. She also petitioned the European Parliament, calling on MEPs to set up an EU fund to pay for security for citizens facing death threats for what they have written or said.
On Thursday, Justice, freedom and security commissioner Franco Frattini said that EU member states are to draft special measures to guarantee freedom of movement across the Union for Ms Hirsi Ali and other individuals similarly targeted.
According to Mr Frattini, a “unanimous” decision on the matter was reached at a lunch of the EU’s 27 justice ministers. Host countries will bear the cost of providing police protection and no new laws will be necessary to realise the move.
Friday 29 Feb 2008 | Paul | EU
