Secret service investigated Wilders' Israeli contacts
In 2009 and 2010 intelligence service AIVD investigated PVV leader Geert Wilders' contacts in Israel, the Volkskrant reports based on its own research. The AIVD was concerned about Wilders' loyalty and that he was possibly being influenced by Israel, according to the newspaper.
The AIVD investigating a serving politician is quite remarkable, according to the newspaper. The service is usually hesitant about doing so due to the risk of the government asking that the opposition be investigated. It is considered an "absolute no-go", according to the newspaper. No detection aids, like telephone tapping or surveillance, were used for this investigation.
Wilders had close ties with influential people from Israel in 2010. He visited Israeli General Amos Gilad in Tel Aviv and regularly paid visit to the Israeli ambassador in the Netherlands. Sources from the Jewish community told the newspaper that these contacts became estranged because Wilders did not turn his political ideas into policy.
According to the Volkskrant, the results of the investigation is not known. The AIVD, department head Gerard Bouman and Wilders himself all declined to comment.
