Annual Report 2002
The threat posed by radical-Islamic terrorism is a serious threat. Despite the successes that have been booked in the fight against this form of terrorism, Islamic terrorist networks are still capable of committing attacks anywhere in the world. This way they are capable of disrupting society or parts of it. This is described in the annual report 2002 of the General Intelligence and Security Service (Algemene Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst; AIVD), which Minister Remkes of the Interior and Kingdom Relations presented to the Second Chamber on 29 April 2003.
Radical-Islamic networks are also active in the Netherlands. They provide support activities of a financial, material and logistic nature. They also recruit young Muslims for the jihad, the holy war against the enemies of the Islam. In December 2002 the AIVD already reported that several dozens of young people in the Netherlands were involved in a recruitment process. Since 11 September 2001 various persons have been arrested on suspicion of involvement with terrorism based on information from the AIVD. The image of the Netherlands as a country where the authorities allow certain illegal activities to take place in respect of (potential) terrorists, is therefore incorrect in the view of the AIVD.
The attack on Pim Fortuyn and the subsequent period of threats directed at politicians and other persons, caused the Netherlands to lose its innocence. In 2003 a new system of surveillance and security will be implemented, that is to contribute to the safety within the public domain.
The integration of in particular the Islamic community in our country is not without tension. The AIVD called attention to various trends in response to this development. For example, there is an emancipatory movement within the Muslim community itself, which sometimes involves fundamental criticism of the behaviour of Muslims. A movement is also emerging that emphasises the specific Muslim identity of this community. The AEL is a group that gives voice to this. When ethnical or religious sentiments come into play, this movement may involve a security risk according to the AIVD.
Partly because of the war in Iraq and the disclosures of North-Korea regarding its nuclear programme, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction features high on the international agenda. The AIVD has established that high-risk countries such as India, Pakistan, North-Korea, Syria and Iran are increasingly collaborating and exchanging information with one another in this field. In the view of the AIVD this makes international cooperation in preventing the production of weapons of mass destruction all the more urgent.
In the area of politically violent activism the AIVD notes a revival of antimilitarism as a result of the war in Iraq. Furthermore, within animal rights activism there is an increase of violence both against objects and persons. The primary target is the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC) in Rijswijk.
After 11 September 2001 the AIVD has paid extra attention to the security of vital sectors in society. For example, the AIVD has participated in the project for the protection of the vital infrastructure, which is part of the Action Plan for Counter-Terrorism and Security. In addition to this, advice was given on the security of the drinking-water supply, ocean shipping, ports and civil aviation.