Dutch government official claims Islamic State militant group is ‘Zionist plan’

By: Sarah Ann Harris

Source: http://www.express.co.uk

Yasmina Haifi, who works for the Dutch Justice Ministry’s National Cyber Security Centre, made the controversial statement on Twitter, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported.

Referring to IS by their former name, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis), she tweeted: “ISIS has nothing to do with Islam. It’s part of a plan by Zionists who are deliberately trying to blacken Islam’s name.”

Ms Haifi later removed the original message and said: “I realize the political sensitivity in connection with my work. That was not my intention.”

It is now believed that she has been suspended from her position.

The country’s Ministry of Security and Justice and the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) later said in a statement: “Security and Justice and the NCTV distance themselves from her remarks.

“And since [the comment] relates to the work of the NCTV and the National Cyber Security Center, cause is shown to terminate her assignment NCSC/NCTV and outsource her work with immediate effect.”

However, Ms Haifi said in a radio interview that she refused to withdraw her statements.

She said: “Freedom of expression is apparently only for certain groups.

“I have taken the liberty to express myself and obviously I have to pay for it. I do not know why I should take it down; this is what I think.”

Dutch MPs Joram van Klaveren and Louis Bontes said that they believed that Security and Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten should take action against Ms Haifi.

In a joint statement they said: “A person who propagates such ideas and is working with state secrets could be a threat to national security.”

IS, an off-shoot of al-Qaeda, has taken control of much of Iraq in recent months including the country’s second largest city of Mosul.

The militant group, led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, also controls areas of Syria.

IS is believed to be responsible for brutally killing many of its opponents and images reportedly posted by members of the group posing with decapitated bodies have sent shockwaves around the world.

Many members of the Yazidi community still remain trapped on Iraq’s Mount Sinjar, surrounded by IS militants, prompting Britain to carry out humanitarian action in the area.