Jason Walters

Jason Walters or Jamal (born 6 March 1985) is a Dutch citizen who was sentenced to fifteen years in prison on Islamic terrorism charges.

Early life

Jason Walters was born on 6 March 1985 to an American soldier based in the Netherlands and a Dutch woman.^[1] His neighbors stated that he was pro-American when he was adolescent.^[1]

Terror activities

The General Intelligence and Security Office (AIVD) suspects Waters is a senior member of the Hofstad Network, a terror cell based in the Netherlands. In 2006, Walters was convicted by a Dutch court and sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment. His younger brother Jermaine Walters is also linked with the terror cell. His talk about jihad against the non-believers caused his mosque to ban him and his brother and notify the authorities.

Walters has made at least one visit to Pakistan and possibly to Afghanistan where it is alleged he has received training at a terrorist training camp. Walters was arrested along with Ismail Akhnikh on November 10, 2004, after a massive 14 hour siege in The Hague. Near the end of this siege, hand grenades were thrown at police. This was one of a series of raids on suspected Muslim terrorist cells following the 2 November 2004 assassination of filmmaker Theo van Gogh by fellow Hofstad Network member Mohammed Bouyeri.

According to police, Walters had his own plans to assassinate Dutch political figures he deemed anti-Muslim, and his hit list included two members of parliament, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a native of Somalia, and Geert Wilders. Both, like van Gogh, had been outspoken critics of Islam in the Netherlands, particularly its treatment of women.^[1] In 2003, Walters wrote a farewell letter to his mother.^[2][3]

Conviction on terrorism charges

On 10 March 2006, Walters was convicted with eight others in the Netherlands on charges of terrorism. He was sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment^[4] but was released from prison in May 2013.

Personal life

Walters converted to Islam at 16 (some sources say 13)^[5] and later adopted the name Abu Mujahied Amrik.^[5] His mother, recently divorced, and with two younger daughters at home, felt increasingly unsafe finally fleeing to a woman's shelter.^[1]

References