Suspected Van Gogh killer "had help"
Swissinfo ^ | April 13 2005
 

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch-Moroccan charged with the murder of a filmmaker critical of Islam probably had accomplices, prosecutors said on Wednesday, as the man appeared in public for the first time since his arrest last November.

Mohammed Bouyeri, 27, injured in a gun battle with police, was on crutches. His only remarks were to reject allegations his brother triedto help him smuggle a document out of jail.

Theo van Gogh, a descendant of the brother of 19th century Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, was gunned down as he cycled to work inAmsterdam on November 2. He begged for mercy but prosecutors say the accused shot and stabbed him before slashing his throat.

Bouyeri, who has refused to cooperate with investigators and has been under psychiatric observation for the last two months, did notcomment on the charges against him. His trial is set to start on July 11.

Prosecutor Frits van Straelen told the pre-trial hearing he would present forensic evidence from clothes, a bag, the murder weapon andammunition to show Bouyeri killed Van Gogh.

Van Straelen will also present pictures found at Bouyeri's home which show executions, beheadings, hangings, cutting of throats,amputations and killings by stoning.

"These pictures give you information about ... the reasons he found it necessary not just to shoot dead Theo van Gogh but also to cut histhroat," Van Straelen said.

Conversations recorded at the home of two men in The Hague, who were arrested in a raid a week after Van Gogh's murder, show anumber of people in Bouyeri's circle of friends knew about his plan on November 2, Van Straelen said.

"There are a whole lot of clues that Bouyeri was helped on November 2 in the murder of Van Gogh, but there is not yet any definite,conclusive proof. The investigation into a possible accomplice of Bouyeri is still fully under way," he said.

The two are among 12 members of a suspected group of Islamic militants dubbed the "Hofstad" group who were detained after VanGogh's murder. All 12 face trial for membership of a criminal organisation and planning to kill prominent politicians.

Van Straelen is also seeking information from U.S. officials on about 87 e-mail addresses found in Bouyeri's possession.

A relation of Van Gogh will probably testify in July, Van Straelen said, although Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the Somali-born Dutch politician who wrotethe script for a Van Gogh film that accused Islam of condoning violence against women, will not.

A five-page letter quoting the Koran and attacking Hirsi Ali was found pinned to Van Gogh's chest with a knife.