Gunning for Geert Wilders

The Dutch politician Geert Wilders lives under constant threat of death. Because of his strong positions against Muslim immigration and the Islamization of his country, Mr. Wilders has to give speeches while wearing a bulletproof vest, and he sleeps every night at a different location. When I met him last year he had a host of alert and very professional bodyguards who kept a close eye on everyone who approached him.

Unfortunately, his security is still deficient, because a gun was successfully smuggled into his rooms in parliament. Luckily for Mr. Wilders, this was a test operation, and not a real attack.

According to this brief bulletin from Dutch News:

Wilders’ Security Stepped Up After Officials Smuggle in Gun

Undercover security officials have managed to smuggle a gun into rooms in parliament used by Geert Wilders’s team of MPs, the Telegraaf reports on Monday.

In total, four tests were carried out after Wilders had complained his security was not up to scratch. Two tests succeed, two failed, the paper says, without going into details.

Security around Wilders and PVV MPs has now been stepped up.

There’s more detail from Radio Netherlands:
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Wilders’ Security Breached

Special agents have succeeded in smuggling a firearm into the heavily-guarded offices of Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party in the parliament buildings in The Hague. A source confirmed the operation, which took place several weeks ago, in Monday’s edition of the Dutch daily De Telegraaf.

The newspaper report says the operation was carried out by the Special Security Assignments Brigade (BSB), a special unit of the Military Police. The test was carried out following a complaint from Mr Wilders that his security was inadequate.

A total of four attempts were made. Two were successful, two failed. Security at the parliament buildings has reportedly been tightened up since.

Visitors to the Dutch parliament pass through similar security as at airports. Coats and bags have to be handed in to cloakroom staff. Keys, wallets, belts and small bags are put in trays and run through an x-ray machine, while the visitors walk through a metal detector. Once through security, a guide takes them to the debating chamber. Party offices are off-limits and only accessible with special passes.

Hat tip: Flyboy.