No undercover investigations were conducted in mosques in Huizen, Hilversum and Gooise Meren. That is what the municipalities say in a joint statement, according to ANP news agency. They do that in response to a publication in NRC.
That article stated that researchers from research agency NTA visited Islamic organizations undercover on behalf of ten municipalities to collect sensitive information. In violation of the law, investigations were also conducted in mosques.
Huizen, Hilversum and Gooise Meren say that the relevant research bureau has “mapped the networks within the Islamic community in a responsible manner on behalf of the municipalities”.
The municipalities state that the investigation was conducted during a period when there were many concerns about terrorism and radicalisation. “NTA has assured us that it has not made any secret visits to the mosques and that the persons interviewed knew that they were cooperating in an investigation for the municipality. There is no question of infiltration, as suggested by NRC,” the three said. municipalities.
The research agency NTC denied The allegations had previously been emphatically stated, saying that his associates have never secretly investigated mosques.
Declaration municipality of Ede
The municipality of Ede also announced earlier today that NTA researchers did not participate in activities within the mosque undercover. “The NTA office denies this. Until the publication of the NRC article, there have never been any indications that there has been an undercover operation. However, interviews have taken place with those involved within the Islamic community, in which the researchers have identified themselves as such.”
The response of the municipality of Ede on Twitter:
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