Why They Hate Us

Mohammed Bouyeri, the assassin of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, was happy to plead guilty to a Dutch court this week, "I take complete responsibility for my actions. I acted purely in the name of my religion. I can assure you that one day, should I be set free, I would do exactly the same, exactly the same."

At this point, it is useful to contemplate for a moment what would happen should we set Mr. Bouyeri's fellow jihadis free from Gitmo.

Bouyeri ambushed van Gogh while he was bicycling to work in east Amsterdam last November 2nd, wounding him with a pistol. Van Gogh fell off his bike and fled on foot across the street. Bouyeri followed, firing as he went, while fifty-three horrified witnesses scattered. Van Gogh went down on the sidewalk, pleading with his attacker, "Don't do it. Don't do it. Have mercy. Have mercy!" Bouyeri shot him as he lay. "Surely we can talk about this," begged van Gogh.

Bouyeri pulled a large knife and stabbed van Gogh, then cut his throat from ear to ear. Bouyeri then pinned a five page manifesto to the body of Van Gogh with a small knife. The note contained threats against Dutch politicians and raving about Jewish influence in politics. It was probably written by his group's ideologist. "I surely know that you, Oh Europe, will be destroyed," it read. He then kicked van Gogh and walked away. He shot it out with pursuing Dutch police before he took a bullet in the leg.

Bouyeri murdered Van Gogh because he had made a film critical of Islam.

The Dutch prosecutor, Frits van Straelen, revealed, "In a letter to his family he said he had chosen to do his duty to Allah and to give his soul for paradise. ... [Bouyeri] wanted to become a martyr."

Bouyeri helpfully explained to the bereaved van Gogh's mother where his sympathies lie in the matter, telling her in court: "I cannot feel for you ... because I believe you are a non-believer."

The explanations just don't get simpler than that.