The 33yo man arrested at the scene of the murder of Dutch populist rightwing leader Pim Fortuyn yesterday, is by police said to be "linked to environmental activism". After searching his house in Harderwijk, police found ammunition of the same calibre as they picked up in the Mediapark, Hilversum. They also say they found material that links him to environmental activism and took papers and a computer as evidence.

Although the police think the man planned and executed the murder on his own and environmental and 'non-mainstream left' groups have immediately distanced themselves from the murder, the police allegiations fuel the increasingly anti-left tone of discussion started by popular newspaper Telegraaf and extreme right leaders from Belgium and France. The Telegraaf, like all newspapers a fervent opponent of Fortuyn while he was alive, seems to have made a u-turn overnight and is now saying that what they immediately labelled "the killer" is a "leftwing extremist". In another Telegraaf article the spokesperson for Fortuyn's list blaims "the hate campaign of the left" with their "constant comparisons to Haider and Le Pen" for the killing. He and other list members and friends claim Fortuyn had received increasingly intimidating death threats throughout last week and that police and government were aware of this. The Minister of Interior denies this. These accusation are not just aimed at 'extreme left'. Fortuyn supporters rioting at the parliament square yesterday night were chanting 'Melkert murderer', Melkert being the leader of the social democrats.

More worrying is that extreme right in other European countries are already profiting from the media attention for the murder. De Winter (Vlaams Blok), who is usually boycotted by mainstream media and politicians, was given the opportunity to react on Belgian national radio. He claimed that "the political and social establishment are creating an atmosphere in the media, where people are reacting hysterically to the rise of right-nationalist parties". A spokesperson from the French NFP said basically the same thing. Postings on the website of the neo-nazist Stormfront call for "hard action" and glorify Pim Fortuyn as a national hero. Posters from Belgium and London offer support and propose to come over if necessary.

Maybe there is no such thing as a '11 September' effect, but increased fascist and racist activity is already underway.

IMC Netherlands | IMC Belgium