A Dutch Moroccan police officer was discharged due to spying for the Moroccan secret services. The ensueing political debate and mediastorm have revealed that this is not a single case: many Dutch-Moroccan politicians and businessmen are being approached by the Moroccan secret services in order to gain their support for the "Moroccan political agenda".
"The Cabinet and the Second Chamber are outraged over the Moroccan interference with Moroccan Dutchmen, that appears to be leading to espionage”, a prominent Dutch newspaper writes.
It all started when a Moroccan immigrant, working for the Rotterdam police-force, was caught spying for the Moroccan secret service in the Netherlands. The Dutch secret service found out about the immigrant’s spying activities after an anonymous source tipped them off. An investigation was launched and found the allegations to be true; the Moroccan-Dutch, owner of both a Dutch and a Moroccan passport, gave sensitive information to his bosses back in Morocco.
Little is known about the contents of the leaked information, or how long the policeman had already been reporting back to Rabat. But apparently it’s enough to be dishonourably discharged.
A diplomatic row has ensued. Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Verhagen told two leading Moroccan diplomats to leave. The ambassador, however, is allowed to stay - for now. Verhagen informed Moroccan authorities that he will not accept such “harmful” practices.
Rotterdam municipality member Fouad el Haji - also a Moroccan-Dutchman, states that this was certainly not the first nor only time that the Moroccan government tried to get Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands to work for its purposes.
On a Dutch TV talkshow, el Haji told reporters that mainly politicians and businessmen are targeted in order to advance the Moroccan political agenda. When asked about the contents of this agenda, el Haji's first reply was "Western Sahara". Moroccan authorities would try to persuade immigrants to work for them through a variety of networks, he added.
Another double-passport carrying Moroccan-Dutchman approached by the Moroccan secret service is Ali Lazrak, former MP. When asked to comment on the affair, Lazrak declined.
Dutch Parliament is concerned about the influence the Moroccan government obviously has over immigrants. An emergency debate is scheduled next week.
“Establishing relations with emigrants is fine, of course. But if the secret service is establishing this type of relations, we can’t speak about freedom anymore,” Christian Democrat MP Madeleine van Toorenburg said.
PVV-leader Geert Wilders believes that sending two diplomats away isn’t enough. He wants the Dutch government to tell the Moroccan ambassador to leave. Wilders used the controversy to once again stress his point that immigrants should not be allowed to have two passports; he wants them to choose.
Meanwhile more and more Dutch politicians of Moroccan descent feel the need to distance themselves from the affair. Tofik Dibi of GroenLinks (Green Left) and PvdA MP Khadija Arib have stated that Moroccan interference in the Netherlands is uncalled for.
The government has announced emergency consultation to be held next week.
Africa's last colonySince 1975, three quarters of the Western Sahara territory has been illegally occupied by Morocco. The original population lives divided between those suffering human rights abuses under the Moroccan occupation and those living in exile in Algerian refugee camps. For more than 40 years, the Saharawi await the fulfilment of their legitimate right to self-determination.
Since 1975, three quarters of the Western Sahara territory has been illegally occupied by Morocco. The original population lives divided between those suffering human rights abuses under the Moroccan occupation and those living in exile in Algerian refugee camps. For more than 40 years, the Saharawi await the fulfilment of their legitimate right to self-determination.
