Europe has a New ‘Terrorist’

The widow of the late Dutch finance minister and chairman of the EU Central Bank is accosted and detained by Israeli immigration authorities on suspicion of being a “terrorist.”

By D. L. MONDELO
Political Correspondent for Europe

“If you are not with us, you are against us.”

This now infamous line of U.S. President George W. Bush that has apparently become the gospel in the fight against so-called global terrorism, has continued to result in the labelling of many well-meaning citizens as “terrorists” in the United States and in Europe.

The latest to be labelled as such is Gretta Duisenberg, a long-time Dutch peace activist and widow of the late European Central Bank chairman and former Dutch Minister of Finance Wim Duisenberg who was better known as the architect of the Euro. The Duisenbergs have long been advocates of peace issues, human rights and migrant rights, albeit discreetly because of their political and social position.

Dutch newspapers reported last Oct. 10 that Ms. Duisenberg was refused entry into Israel the day before on suspicion that she is a “terrorist” and listed as such.

Ms. Duisenberg, who is chairperson of the Dutch peace group Stop de Bezetting (Stop the Occupation [of Palestine]), arrived on a KLM flight from Amsterdam to the new airport in Israel to meet Palestinian officials. She was with a group of artists, journalists and writers. Arriving at the airport, she and her group were treated as terrorist suspects with Israeli authorities reportedly pretended to be looking for weapons in their belongings, and later on ordering Ms. Duisenberg to board the same KLM plane back to Amsterdam. When she protested, Israeli officials threatened to put her in jail.

In one television interview back in Amsterdam, Ms. Duisenberg said during her interrogation that even her hair was unjustly searched, and she was made to take off her bra for body search.

She said she is convinced that Israeli authorities were told ahead of her visit. “It was clearly an action against our group,” she said. Duisenberg also said she had no idea why she was being refused entry into Israel. Duisenberg added that she has no plans to leave the incident without legal action.

“The Dutch government or embassy has got to do something about this,” she demanded.

Meanwhile, Committee DEFEND in a statement released Oct. 11 condemned the indignity and terrorist-labelling done to Ms. Duisenberg and her team.

“This outrage committed against Ms. Duisenberg and her party is not an isolated case,” DEFEND said in its statement. “It is becoming common practice among states that follow George W. Bush’s so-called war on terror. Anyone who opposes their policies is labelled a terrorist.”

Committee DEFEND, which is among several organizations in Europe formed to defend democratic rights especially after the U.S. and the European Union included Filipino revolutionary in exile Prof. Jose Ma. Sison, in their list of so-called terrorists, cited the similar treatment done recently to retired Filipino Brig. Gen. Raymundo Jarque and his wife who were accused, treated, detained and subsequently deported upon arriving in the United States to visit their daughter.

“In 2002, the U.S. and the European Union listed Filipino revolutionary leader in exile Prof. Jose Ma. Sison as a terrorist, unjustly depriving him of his fundamental human rights. Today, it is Ms. Duisenberg and her party of well-meaning artists, journalists and writers. Tomorrow, it could by anyone including human rights and peace activists, or just anyone who speaks and acts against the anti-people, anti-democratic political, economic, social and pro-war policies of the U.S. and the European Union,” Committee DEFEND stressed.

DEFEND concluded: “There is creeping fascism engulfing Europe. It is riding on the slogan of George W. Bush’s war on terror. We must fight this growing menace before it is too late.” (Bulatlat.com)