Scenes of destruction of the World Trade Center twin towers in New York during the "invasions", train bombings in Madrid and London, the slaughtering of hostages, threats of more decapitation of infidels, and promises to spread all this around the world… This is not an al-Qaeda video or propaganda material for its related groups, as is customary. It is the Fitna video by Right Wing MP Geert Wilders whose internet broadcast started Friday morning.

The Dutch MP explained that his movie is meant to be a warning about the danger of Muslims in Europe, particularly in his country. He said that Muslims are those depicted in Fitna, which is nothing but a lamentable synthesis of al-Qaeda and Taliban doings, in addition to speeches of individuals who repeat the words of Bin Laden and Zawahiri and their counterparts in terrorist organizations. Wilders wanted to stir up controversy in the West to incite westerners to stand up in the face of Muslims to avoid the repetition of the scenes in his movie.

However, the targeted audience did not react positively to Fitna. On the contrary, the movie was treated with contempt, particularly in Holland, through the government and the Islamic community, where an organization representative rightfully analyzed the man's problem: to attract an electoral audience by counting on fear and illusions. Apart from condemnations by the European Union and the United Nations, Muslims did not attack any Dutch facilities or direct vengeance at foreigners. The blood promised in the movie was not shed.

There were justified angry reactions but they remained within the limits of reason - unlike those that accompanied the publication of the Danish cartoons. Moreover, the cause depicted in this movie was not related to freedom of expression, and Integrists cannot use it for their propaganda.

The Dutchman not only failed in lamentable synthesis of his movie but also in achieving his declared objectives: arousing public opinion in the West against Muslims, and instigating Muslims against the West. The simple reason lies in that the content of the movie is exactly what has been fought by Muslims - both at the governmental and institutional level- for over two decades, once they realized that they were its primary victims.

The Dutchman merely divided humanity into the two well-known camps: the camp of the Muslims as seen by al-Qaeda (as depicted in the movie), and the camp of the others. He also reiterated the impossibility of dialogue, coexistence, and exchange of interests between Muslims and those belonging to other religions. Thus, he almost literally repeated the words and attempted deeds of al-Qaeda leaders and followers.

The movie can therefore be considered a ludicrous imitation of the propaganda material published by al-Qaeda on the Internet. It faces legal threats not because it is an affront to Islam but because it is a "tribute" to terrorism.

Calling Fitna an affront to Islam gives its maker an added value and undeserved intellectual merit. It might not be suitable to deal with him as such, since it will allow him to escape the charge of terrorism under the unlikely pretext of freedom of opinion. Wilders faithfully reproduces terrorist thought and actions and falls into the trap of paying homage to it. He must be dealt with as such. Although Dutch laws protect the freedom of expression, they prosecute terrorists, terrorism, and those who pay tribute to it. Wilders is one of those, and he deserves to be prosecuted and condemned.