Dutch parliament seeks limits on employment of imams News
Dutch parliament seeks limits on employment of imams

[JURIST] The Dutch parliament (official site in Dutch) Friday asked the government to draft laws restricting the employment of imams at Dutch mosques only to those who have studied Islam in the country. A vote on the new law was delayed after Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner said it may be considered discriminatory unless applied to all religions. If enacted, it would likely take effect in 2008. The legislation has support from both the government and opposition after the past two weeks have seen a series of attacks and reprisals after the killing of a filmmaker by a Muslim radical. Since the killing, thirteen have been arrested on suspicion of terrorism, but the Dutch government has been criticized as underestimating the threat posed by terrorists. The Dutch Justice Ministry has more on the tense situation. The Guardian has more on the violence in the Netherlands. AP has more.