Geert Wilders on Trial

Geert Wilders is an enigma - he likes to dye his hair blonde and he's chosen a life so fraught with conflict and stress that he says it's a living hell. But it's all his own doing. His life has been threatened many times, in fact his minders have to move him to a different location every night and he said that he wouldn't wish his life on his worst enemy. Now he's in court facing a charge of inciting hatred against Muslims. Prosecutors claim that many remarks he has made will prove him guilty, statements like "I've had enough of Islam in the Netherlands" and "Let not one more Muslim immigrate" and "I've had enough of the Quran - forbid that fascist book".

More than 1.4 million voters made his party the third largest in the June election. If convicted, he could face a year in jail. But the trial was adjourned because Wilders refused to answer questions put to him which he was legally entitled to do. Presiding judge Jan Moors was rattled by his decision to remain silent and said that Wilders was known for making bold statements and "It appears you are doing it again" he said. Wilders lawyer said the comment proved Moors was biased towards his client and moved to have him dismissed. The trial was suspended while other judges consider whether the complaint is justified. If it is, a new panel of judges could be appointed and the trial could be delayed by several months.

His Freedom Party has agreed to support a new right-wing Dutch government set to take office this month. In return, his political allies have promised to carry out much of his anti-immigration agenda. They will turn away more asylum seekers and cut immigration from non-Western countries in half. He also wants immigrants to pay for their own mandatory citizenship classes.

His film Fitna which roughly translated from Arabic as "strife" has caused widespread controversy. No TV company in the Netherlands would broadcast the 17 minute film and some Dutch politicians tried to ban it before Wilders posted it on the Internet in March 2008.

Far right groups like the English Defence League have been set up across Europe and are planning to demonstrate in Amsterdam in support of Wilders on 30th October to coincide with the end of his trial but now that it's been suspended it could be months into the future. There is huge interest in this trial and the eyes of the world are watching.