Wilders questions Dutch PM over undercover FBI role in Texas shooting
An affidavit recently filed in an American court shows that an undercover FBI agent had contact with one of the terrorists involved in an attack on a Mohammad cartoon exhibit in Garland, Texas before the attack happened. PVV leader Geert Wilders, who was a speaker at the event and left minutes before the shootout started, is demanding answers from Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
On May 3rd last year two men - Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi - drove up to the cartoon exhibit and contest and opened fire. One police officer sustained minor injuries before the two shooters were gunned down.
The affidavit was released in a lawsuit against Erick Jamal Hendricks, who is facing charges of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists by recruiting members for ISIS, including at least one of those involved in the Texas shooting, according to American news agency WFAA.
The document shows that an undercover FBI agent had contact with Simpson. A week before the attempted attack in Garland the agent sent the terrorist a text message saying: "Tear up Texas". Simpson replied: "U know what happened in Paris. So that goes without saying... no need to be direct." He was referring to the attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
The FBI agent also had regular contact with Hendricks, who asked him about security at the Mohammed cartoon event before the attack. The document doesn't state how the agent replied.
This affidavit led to commotion in American media. Some journalists and news agencies, like The Daily Beast, accusing the FBI agent of egging the terrorist on.
Geert Wilders is demanding clarification from Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on this matter. He wants to know whether it is true that an FBI agent contacted one of the terrorists and possibly egged him on. He also wants to know whether the American authorities passed FBI information on to the Dutch authorities. "If so when, and what was done with this information? If not, why not?"
"Are you prepared to ask the US immediately for clarification on these reports? If not, why not?" Wilders writes on his website. "Are you prepared to answer these questions this week?"