Ex-Pakistan cricketer Khalid Latif’s prison sentence for inciting murder

A Dutch tribunal connected Monday sentenced erstwhile Pakistan planetary cricketer Khalid Latif to 12 years successful situation for urging the execution of anti-Islam, far-right MP Geert Wilders.

Latif, 37, had offered 21,000 euros ($22,500) for the caput of Wilders successful an online video aft the firebrand lawmaker sought to put a contention for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

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“It was not a agelong to deliberation that idiosyncratic astir the satellite would person taken heed of the telephone to termination Mr Wilders,” presiding justice G. Verbeek told the court.

“The accused knew this and his telephone fuelled the occurrence to person Wilders killed.”

It is highly improbable that Latif, who was convicted successful absentia, volition service his sentence.

Dutch authorities person sought successful vain to question Latif implicit the lawsuit and requested ineligible assistance from Pakistan, besides to nary avail.

“It’s a bully sentence, but it’s a pity that the accused is not present successful court,” Wilders told reporters outside, sporting his trademark peroxide hairdo.

“It is nary longer acceptable that the Pakistani authorities garbage to co-operate. I americium going to inquire the premier curate to guarantee that Khalid Latif is arrested successful Pakistan and extradited to the Netherlands.”

Wilders cancelled the cartoon contention aft protests broke retired successful Pakistan and helium was inundated with decease threats. He has been nether 24-hour authorities extortion since 2004.

In the Netherlands, the program to signifier the contention was criticised wide with politicians, section media and mean citizens slamming the thought arsenic needlessly antagonising Muslims.

But the telephone to termination Wilders appeared to resonate successful the existent world, with a Pakistani antheral sentenced to 10 years successful situation successful 2019 for plotting his assassination successful the aftermath of the cancelled contest.

Judge Verbeek said Latif’s video was not conscionable an onslaught connected Wilders personally, but besides connected the conception of escaped code successful the Netherlands.

Latif played 5 one-day internationals and 13 T20 internationals for Pakistan but was banned from cricket for 5 years successful 2017 for spot-fixing successful a Pakistan Super League lucifer successful Dubai.

His past Pakistan quality was against the West Indies successful Abu Dhabi successful September 2016.

However, Verbeek said that Latif had benefited from his fame arsenic an planetary cricketer to “add lipid to the fire” astatine a clip erstwhile the Netherlands was already the people of respective threats.