Arnoud van Doorn
{{Short description|Dutch politician (born 1966)}}
{{Infobox politician
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|18 March 1966}}
| birth_place = The Hague, Netherlands
| occupation = Politician
| party = Party for Freedom (until 2012)
| children = Iskander Amien De Vries (eldest son)
}}
Arnoud van Doorn (born 18 March 1966, in The Hague){{in lang|nl}} [https://pzcindenhaag.wordpress.com/2010/04/12/kandidatenlijst-pvv/ List of PVV candidates, 2010 elections] is a Dutch politician. He was a member of the Dutch political party, Dutch Freedom Party (PVV), before converting to Islam.
Political career
Arnoud van Doorn used to be part of the PVV.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/shortcuts/2013/oct/23/arnoud-van-doorn-anti-islamic-convert-hajj|title=Arnoud van Doorn: from anti-Islamic film-maker to hajj pilgrim|publisher=The Guardian UK|date=23 October 2013|accessdate=22 April 2014}} In December 2011, the party broke with Van Doorn.{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.binnenlandsbestuur.nl/bestuur-en-organisatie/nieuws/haagse-pvv-breekt-met-raadslid.3126764.lynkx Haagse PVV breekt met raadslid], Binnenlands Bestuur, 14 December 2011
He decided to become a Muslim a few months later and announced his conversion to Islam in April 2012. Soon after, he performed Hajj to Saudi Arabia and visited the Prophet's Mosque.{{cite web|url=http://www.amsterdamherald.com/index.php/rss/722-20130301-from-wilders-to-muhammad-former-freedom-party-vice-chairman-converts-islam-religion-immigration-cultural-integration-the-hague-council-pvv-netherlands-dutch-politics|title=From Wilders to Muhammad: Former Freedom Party vice-chairman converts to Islam|publisher=The Amsterdam Herald|date=1 March 2013|accessdate=22 April 2014|archive-date=24 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424064048/http://www.amsterdamherald.com/index.php/rss/722-20130301-from-wilders-to-muhammad-former-freedom-party-vice-chairman-converts-islam-religion-immigration-cultural-integration-the-hague-council-pvv-netherlands-dutch-politics|url-status=usurped}}{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/10/22/arnoud-van-doorn-hajj-conversion_n_4141718.html|title=Former Anti-Islam Film-Maker, Arnoud Van Doorn, Performs Hajj After Becoming Muslim|publisher=Huffington Post UK|date=22 October 2013|accessdate=22 April 2014}} He said that the overwhelming reaction of Muslims around the world against the film Fitna made him interested to learn more; all this led to his decision to convert to Islam.{{cite web|url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130422162428|title="I am sorry, O Prophet..."|publisher=Saudi Gazette|date=23 April 2013|accessdate=22 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424063331/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20130422162428|archive-date=24 April 2014|url-status=dead}} He stated, "Right now I am still feeling regret for having distributed the film. I have a responsibility to correct the mistakes that I've made in the past".{{Cite web|url=http://rahyafte.com/en/3453/member-anti-islamic-party-netherland-converted-islam/|title=Why a member of an anti-Islamic party of Netherland converted to Islam?|date=26 September 2017}}
Later, his eldest son, Iskander Amien De Vries,{{cite news|author1=MUHAMMAD JAWED|title=Van Doorn's son embraces Islam|url=http://www.arabnews.com/news/560946|accessdate=14 October 2014|work=Arab News|date=25 April 2014}} followed him in converting to Islam in 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/news/560946|title=Van Doorn's son embraces Islam|publisher=Arabnews.com|date=22 April 2014 |accessdate=22 April 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/nationgeneral/2014/April/nationgeneral_April148.xml§ion=nationgeneral|title=Son of distributor of anti-Islam film accepts Islam|publisher=Khaleejtimes.com|date=21 April 2014|accessdate=22 April 2014|archive-date=21 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421181447/http://khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/nationgeneral/2014/April/nationgeneral_April148.xml§ion=nationgeneral|url-status=dead}}
Until May 2014, he served as a member of The Hague City Council for the PvdE, a political party based on Islam. At the moment he is President of the European Da'wah Foundation, and Ambassador of Celebrity Relations for the Canadian Da'wah Association in Europe. He is a Member of the Board and Official Representative for the PvdE in the city council of The Hague.{{Cite web|url=http://rahyafte.com/en/3453/member-anti-islamic-party-netherland-converted-islam/|title=Why a member of an anti-Islamic party of Netherland converted to Islam?|date=26 September 2017}}
In February 2014, Van Doorn was sentenced to 40 hours of community service and a fine of €1000 for leaking secret documents to the press, possession of an illegal flare gun, and selling soft drugs to minors. In May 2015, following an appeal by the prosecutor, this sentence was increased to 240 hours of community service, with a three-month suspended jail term. Van Doorn claimed to have sold the soft drugs in order to catch a drug dealer, but the judge described his explanation as "highly implausible".{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.ad.nl/ad/nl/1012/Nederland/article/detail/3597083/2014/02/14/Werkstraf-en-boete-voor-raadslid-Arnoud-van-Doorn.dhtml Werkstraf en boete voor raadslid Arnoud van Doorn], 14 February 2014, Algemeen Dagblad {{in lang|nl}} [https://www.ad.nl/den-haag/zwaardere-straf-voor-haags-raadslid-van-doorn~a1a692ad/ Zwaardere straf voor Haags raadslid Van Doorn], 26 May 2015, Algemeen Dagblad
On 6 August 2018, Willie Dille, a Dutch politician, published a video on Facebook announcing her departure from the city council and alleging the Mayor for searching for charges against her and Van Doorn for organizing a group of Moroccans for abducting and abusing her in March 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.geenstijl.nl/5143286/oh-oke/|title=WTF-video. PVV-raadslid 070 Willie Dille beschuldigt Arnoud van Doorns "Marokkanen" van ontvoering en verkrachting|last=Spartacus|date=2018-08-08|website=www.geenstijl.nl|language=nl|access-date=2018-08-09}} The next day, she said the assertions were done under "impulse" – the police, having investigated, did not find evidence of such an organization. On 8 August, she died by suicide after apologizing to her loved ones on Facebook.{{Cite web|url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2245283-haags-pvv-raadslid-willie-dille-plotseling-overleden.html|title = Haags PVV-raadslid Willie Dille dood gevonden| date=9 August 2018 }}{{Cite news|url=https://www.omroepwest.nl/nieuws/3675849/Haags-PVV-raadslid-Willie-Dille-overleden|title=Haags PVV-raadslid Willie Dille overleden|work=Omroep West|access-date=2018-08-09|language=nl-NL}}
On 26 September 2021, Van Doorn was arrested in the Hague and held overnight on the suspicion of preparing an assassination attempt on Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. He was released without charge the next day.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2021/09/28/haags-raadslid-van-doorn-gearresteerd-na-verdacht-gedrag-in-buurt-rutte-a4059905|title=Haags raadslid van Doorn gearresteerd na verdacht gedrag in buurt Rutte|work=NRC|access-date=2021-09-21|language=nl-NL}}{{cite news |last1=Kotkamp |first1=Lukas |title=Dutch politician arrested on suspicion of plotting to murder Mark Rutte |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/dutch-council-member-arrested-on-suspicion-of-plotting-murder-of-pm/ |access-date=28 September 2021 |work=Politico |date=28 September 2021}}
See also
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Doorn, Arnoud van}}
Category:Converts to Islam from atheism or agnosticism
Category:Municipal councillors of The Hague