Amsterdam West Mosque Under Scrutiny for Jihad Recruiters

A Salafist mosque in Amsterdam West (El Tawheed) is under close city scrutiny after reports of radicalization going on within its walls. The below article in De Telegraaf is translated from Dutch by Fousesquawk.

https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/2384429/grote-zorgen-over-radicaliseringsbeleid-amsterdam

Amsterdam Council Reacts: How is this possible?

Exterior of the El Tawheed mosque in Amsterdam.
(De Telegraaf)

Major concerns about radicalization policy Amsterdam

AMSTERDAM - Amsterdam council members are very worried about the radicalization policy of the municipality now that new abuses have re-emerged by recent publications. Tomorrow De Telegraaf publishes a revealing story about the Salafist El Tawheed mosque in Amsterdam West, which provided accommodation for IS-gangs and terrorists.

On Thursday, NRC published a story that shows that jihad recruiters in Amsterdam had years of free play when the police and the municipality did not keep each other informed of investigations that had been completed or not. Tomorrow De Telegraaf publishes an article showing that a 'jihad club' for children was in the El Tawheed mosque. This appears from a photo and police information.

VVD'er Marianne Poot reacted to the stories of NRC , which she finds 'enormously disturbing'. "Terrible that two jihad recruiters could just go their way in Amsterdam. How is this possible? We have spoken so often about the radicalization approach in the council. And this has never come forward. In no research, "she says.

Annabel Nanninga of Forum for Democracy speaks of a 'serious systemic crisis in radicalization policy'. "The time of investigations and guidance to salafists is now over, FvD calls mayor Halsema to action. The dangerous hotbeds, the mosques El Tawheed and Arrayaan, must be closed immediately. Coffeeshops and catering businesses should be at least boarded up. These places are poison for the Amsterdam youth, for the well-meaning Muslims and for the Netherlands. "

'No signs'

Council member Boomsma in the past asked written questions three times and wondered whether there was any propagation of extremist ideology in the mosques. The answer was always: "We have no signs". The exasperated CDA member: "Apparently Amsterdam wanted to include these men, involved in mosques, in the approach in the category of 'recruiter'. How do I reconcile that? "He thinks Halsema must be transparent. "Everything has to be above water. This is too crazy for words? Why has no end been put to recruiting? They could do their thing for years: poisoning Amsterdam's youth ideologically. A coarse scandal. "

Mayor Halsema announced a new investigation yesterday after the NRC article . That while there were already worries about the Amsterdam approach, where there would have been 'religious spasm' and where little connection with other cities was sought. The Amsterdam approach to radicalization was leading internationally shortly after the murder of Theo van Gogh, but that has long since ceased, concluded Beatrice de Graaf and Daan Weggemans, from the universities of Utrecht and Leiden in February. The hard conclusion was that Amsterdam should be much more transparent. "The shutters must be open. Confidentiality, whether expressed through official fear or commercial interest, must be avoided as much as possible, at least within the networks of the city itself. "