ARAB-EUROPEAN LEAGUE MOVES INTO THE NETHERLANDS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 THE HAGUE 001603

SIPDIS

S/CT FOR REAP, EUR, EUR/UBI, D/HS, INL
JUSTICE FOR OIA - JFRIEDMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL NL
SUBJECT: ARAB-EUROPEAN LEAGUE MOVES INTO THE NETHERLANDS

Ref: 02 Belgium 5430


1. Summary: The militant Muslim Arab-European League (AEL)
has spread its wings from Belgium to the Netherlands. The
foundation of a Dutch section became official with the
organization of a congress in late May, which adopted a
platform and elected an executive board. At present, AEL-NL
has about 800 members. The movement serves as a venue for
primarily second-generation younger Moroccans to vent their
frustration about discrimination, repression and lack of
opportunity in the Netherlands. It has the ambition of
becoming both a political party and activist Islamic
movement but its fierce anti-Israel stance and militant
segregationist rhetoric has elicited mostly negative
reactions from the established political parties, as well as
from Jewish and Islamic organizations. Because the
situation in the Netherlands is different from that in
Belgium, it is generally expected that the AEL won't have
the same impact in the Netherlands as it did in Belgium
(reftel). End summary.

Background
--------------


2. The controversies in Belgium over the activities of the
Arab-European League and its telegenic leader Abu Jahjah
were widely covered in the Dutch media and did not fail to
echo with the same groups of mostly Moroccan youth in urban
centers. Abundant media attention to the AEL in Belgium
created the momentum to start a similar movement in the
Netherlands. Jahjah himself directed and controlled the
efforts to get a Dutch chapter off the ground.

Dutch Branch Established
--------------


3. In late May, AEL-NL (Arab European League - The
Netherlands) held a congress to mark its foundation. The
group began to build support leading up to the official kick-
off through a variety of speeches and public appearances
during the early months of 2003. Jahjah will serve as acting
president of the AEL-NL until an appropriate local president
can been found. Other members of the executive board
include a political scientist, reporter, businessman and a
student (all between the ages of 23 to 38); they are all
Dutch nationals, three of Moroccan and one of Iraqi descent.
One board member has been in police custody since mid-May on
suspicion of extortion and theft. Jahjah commented that
while he views the individual as innocent until proven
guilty, a guilty verdict will have no consequences on his
position. Jahjah stated "his possible criminal activities
date from before the time that he became a member of AEL-NL
and his choice for membership shows that he has chosen for a
different life. We believe in giving Muslims a second
chance."

Platform
--------------


4. AEL-NL presents itself as a democratic and moderate
Islamic party embracing Arab-Islamic values and norms. It
believes, for example, that immigrants should learn the
Dutch language and be loyal towards their new home country.
They should integrate but not assimilate. AEL-NL also
intends to campaign for leave on Islamic holidays and wants
the education inspection board to monitor racist and
discriminatory behavior by schoolteachers.


5. However, AEL-NL's position towards Israel is extremist.
It does not recognize Israel's right of existence and views
Israel as a nation with institutionalized racism. AEL-NL
believes that Israel should be dismantled and replaced by
one democratic state of Palestine. AEL-NL adopted a
resolution in favor of a comprehensive boycott of Israel and
all Israeli products. AEL-NL also criticizes the "pro-
American" and "Pro-Zionist" policies of the Dutch
government.


6. AEL-NL claims to have 800 members, most of them younger
Moroccans and many of them students. To become a full
member one must be either Arab or Muslim. AEL-NL intends to
actively campaign to win more members in the upcoming
months. It will decide next year whether or not it will
register as a political party. "The local elections in 2006
are a real option. We are also investigating the
possibility of participating in the European elections in
2004," said Jahjah, but he conceded that political
aspirations are not the highest priority currently.

AEL-NL elicits Negative Reactions
--------------


7. Spokesmen for the established Dutch political parties
have been mostly dismissive of what may become the first
ethnically-based political party in the Netherlands. The
spokesmen sharply criticized the movement's stance on
Israel, its confrontational approach and its tendency to
incite supporters into violent protests (reftel). Dutch
political parties maintain the impression that AEL is mainly
media hype and will not amount to much in the Netherlands.


8. Established Muslim organizations, such as Islam and
Citizenship are negative about the AEL's stance on Israel.
One of the main Turkish Islamic leaders noted, however, that
"agitation against Israel is a smart tool to mobilize
Muslims." Islamic organizations do not believe AEL-NL will
make much headway in the Netherlands because for most
Moroccans the AEL is too intellectual and too narrowly
focused.


9. The Director for the Center on Information and
Documentation on Israel (CIDI) observed that AEL-NL was
using the same rhetoric against Israel as Hamas, Hezbollah
and Islamic Jihad. He had no sympathy for its call to
dismantle Israel and to boycott Israeli products at a time
that serious attempts are being made to resolve the Israeli-
Palestinian dispute. CIDI has also raised concerns about
possible ties between AEL and elements of the Netherlands
Muslim community who may facilitate the activities of
terrorist organizations. The Wall Street Journal has noted
links between AEL leader Cheppih and the Al Waqf al-Islaami
foundation, which is suspected of having ties to Al Qaida.


10. Comment: AEL-NL at present only appears to appeal to the
"elite" and not to ordinary Muslim youngsters. However, the
resonance of Jahjah's views shows that within this community
there is a desire for someone who understands their
ambitions and frustrations, speaks up for them and defends
them. Much of the Dutch chapter`s success will therefore
depend on whether it is successful at finding a charismatic
leader who matches up to Jahjah, who prefers to remain in
Belgium. End Comment.

Sobel