EclectEcon

A Dutch politician cautioned that the government of the Netherlands was dominated by a "fear of Islam," after it delayed the release of a short film he had made attacking the Koran. In the film, Geert Wilders, the leader of the conservative Dutch Freedom Party (PVV) compares the sacred Muslim text to Hitler's Mein Kampf.

In an open letter to the Dutch De Volkskrant newspaper Wednesday, Wilders claims that the panic shown by politicians and by police served only to prove his point.

Police and politicians were afraid that the film would spark riots and even went so far as to tell Wilders that he would have to leave the country,

"If I had announced that I was going to make a film about the fascist character of the Bible would there have been a crisis meeting of Holland's security forces?" he asked. "Would I have received as many death threats as I have done since announcing I was making a film about the Koran? Of course not."

"The fact that a 10-minute film not yet shown could, according to some, lead to economic boycotts, riots and other horrible things says everything about the nature of Islam. Nothing about me. The cabinet acknowledges with its panicky reaction that Islam is not comparable to Christianity, but is a unique ideology. And this ideology thus demands a separate, unique approach. The Koran film has thus already demonstrated its usefulness."

The Iranian parliament has warned of "extensive repercussions from Muslims throughout the globe" if the film is released.

The film will be broadcast in a number of weeks, the PVV leader said.