News and Analysis on Islam in Europe and North America
October 31, 2013 Last week, Nos television reported that a Dutch man had been jailed for planning to travel to Syria to take part in armed resistance against president Assad. Ignition fuses, aluminum powder and instructions for making explosives were among items found in his home. The Rotterdam district court ruled that making preparations
October 18, 2013 The rector of the Islamic University of Rotterdam (IUR) has become the target of press attention after publishing an article stating his views on various aspects of Islamic practice for Sunni and Alevi Muslims and his perspectives on current political events in Turkey. The publication appeared on the personal website of
10 September 2013 Ibn Ghaldoun School, the Rotterdam secondary school which was the focus of an exam theft earlier this year, is to lose its government funding and close down. According to Sander Dekker, the Netherlands’ Junior Education Minister, the closure is based on a recommendation from school inspectors. The school has financial difficulties, and
30 August 2013 Samir Azzouz, serving a nine year sentence for terrorism in Rotterdam, is to be released on 6 September. He will have served two thirds of the sentence. Azzouz was a member of the “Hofstad Group”, and was jailed for preparing attacks on targets including politicians and the head office of the
17 August 2013 A new Islamic centre is to be built in Rotterdam, thanks to a gift of 650,000 euros from the Islamic Development Bank in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. According to Karnis Gacha, director of the Netherlands Sociocultural Centre Foundation, the Islamic centre will offer space for 4,000 people, and will include a library.