Mohammed Bouyeri and other Muslim extremists will not be allowed to testify in the case against Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders, an Amsterdam court has ruled.

Mr Wilders had called a total of 18 witnesses, 15 of whom have been rejected by the court. He wanted to put Islamic extremists in the witness box to illustrate what he sees as the danger of Islam, and justify his criticism of the religion. However, the court accepted only the three Islam experts whom Mr Wilders had called, rejecting all the lawyers and Islamic extremists.

Mohammed Bouyeri is convicted of murdering filmmaker Theo van Gogh In 2004. He shot the outspoken Islam critic in the street and cut his throat.

The court also rejected a plea by the politician’s defence that the case should be transferred to the Supreme Court, because Mr Wilders is an MP.

The far-right politician is being prosecuted for incitement to hatred and discrimination against Muslims. He is also charged with insulting a group, because he compared the Qur’an with Hitler’s Mein Kampf and Islam with Nazism.

(c) Radio Netherlands Worldwide