Dutch court sentences Pakistani of threat to kill Wilders

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A Dutch court has sentenced a Pakistani man to 10 years in prison for preparing a terror attack on anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders.

The 27-year-old man, whose identity was not released by The Hague District Court, was given a higher sentence Monday than the six years sought by prosecutors.

Judges said they imposed the higher sentence because of factors including the suspect’s ongoing aim to kill Wilders.

Death threats are part of Wilders’ daily life because of his strident anti-Islam rhetoric. He has lived in safe houses and under round-the-clock protection for years.

The court said the 27-year-old travelled to the Netherlands in August last year planning to kill Wilders because of a competition the politician was organizing featuring cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The contest was eventually cancelled.

The Associated Press