Europe Braces for Geert Wilders' Film

I feel that in the future, the release of Geert's film will become known as a pivotal event where Europe either laid down and died at Muhammed's feet, or stood up and decided that freedom was more important than political correctness.

NATO secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer also said last Sunday he was fearful the film could put troops at risk in Afghanistan. The same day, hundreds of people protested in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif, burned the Danish and Dutch flags and demanded that the government close the two countries' embassies in the capital, Kabul.

"We're not raising any alarm, and there's no reason to panic. It's just that after what happened over the Danish cartoons, we want to be prepared," said Hohmann.

"For this reason, we have issued guidelines on what course of action to take if similar protests do occur, and orders to closely monitor when the film is released," she added.

The Dutch government has warned Wilders of the consequences the film - expected to be released this month - could have against Dutch political and economic interests, and is has reportedly considered banning it.

The film project has already been condemned by several Muslim countries, including Iran and Pakistan, for its harsh criticism of the Koran and the Prophet Mohammed. Iran and Egypt have already threatened the Netherlands with an economic boycott over the film.

In an interview earlier this month with Italian daily La Stampa, Wilders called the Koran a 'fascist' book and said European culture was "clearly superior" to "stunted Islamic culture."