Demagogue

Much attention here has been focused on the prosecution in Rotterdam of 12 men alleged to be members of a terrorist organization led by Mohammed B., the accused killer of filmmaker, writer, and misanthrope Theo van Gogh.

Lawyers for the 12 - who were rounded up in sweeps in the following days - said at an earlier hearing their clients were not terrorists and should be freed.

That's a tough sell for at least two of the accused.

Two of the suspects, Jason Walters and Ismail Akhnikh, were arrested after a daylong standoff in The Hague on Nov. 10 during which they hurled a hand grenade at police, wounding two officers....

Before Tuesday's hearing, several newspapers reported the content of a telephone conversation recorded by the intelligence services between Walters and Akhnikh shortly after Van Gogh's murder.

"He cut his throat," Akhnikh told Walters, according to the reports.

"Yeah? Was it done Halal?" Walters responded.

After each described what they had heard of the murder, they began praising [Mohammed B.], the papers reported.

"Allah be praised, he's a real man," said Walters.

"He's a hero now," said Akhnikh.

Lovely.