Coincidence?

Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh murdered after making movie critical of Islam together with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a female ex-Muslim turned politician. More from Dog of Flanders, who quotes the murdered film maker (my translation):

Hirsi Ali makes the mistake of thinking that the free expression of opinion is taken seriously in our society. It is the hate preachers like Abu Jahjah ("Assimilation is fascism", "Israeli occupation is comparable to the Nazis", etc.) who always get a free rein in their attempts to create a climate where fingers will rest on triggers. Thus it went with [murdered Dutch politican Pim] Fortuyn, thus it will go with Hirsi Ali.

Fear the Abu Jahjahs that are always blabbing about 'respect'. It is always a quiet warning from people that never show any 'respect' for your opinions, but conversely expect you to prostrate yourself into the dust for theirs. Allah's pimps are on the hunt and Ayaan will pay the price.

In the end, van Gogh paid the supreme price himself.

UPDATE: Dutch novelist Leon de Winter reflects on the murder and the victim's life and work. In fact, he notes that Van Gogh's latest film is almost understated compared to van Gogh's mockery of both Christianity and Judaism, and concludes:

Mr. Fortuyn, in his outspoken political career, broke the taboos surrounding the problems of immigration and paid with his life. Mr. Van Gogh paid the same price for a provocation that, had it been directed at Christianity rather than Islam, would have hardly raised an eyebrow.

UPDATE 2: what can one say about this outrage:

Reacting to the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh by an Islamic terrorist, artist Chris Ripke painted a mural saying, “Thou shalt not kill.”

And when the head of a nearby mosque complained that the mural was “offensive and racist,” local authorities came and sandblasted it: ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’ = racist.

UPDATE 3: a Dutch weblogger named Zacht Ei is all over the story (in English).