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Dutch court refuses to throw President Bush in jail

THE HAGUE: A court in The Hague turned down a demand by a dozen plaintiffs who wanted to force the Dutch government to arrest US President George W Bush when he visits the Netherlands on Saturday, the judgement made public Wednesday said.

Bush will be in the south of the Netherlands this weekend to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The plaintiffs, mostly left-wing organisations and activists, accused Bush of "numerous grave violations of the Geneva Conventions".

They also said the president is responsible for the deaths of civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq and Washington's refusal to recognize the International Criminal Court (ICC), the world's first permanent war crimes court.

In the judgement, dated on Tuesday, the court said that the case was political and that the demands "could have far-reaching consequences for US-Dutch relations".

Some 31 percent of Dutch people are opposed to Bush visiting the country with 66 percent in favour, according to a poll by the Maurice de Hond Institute cited Wednesday in the Dutch media.

Some 46 percent of those surveyed felt that the expected protests against Bush im Amsterdam Saturday and Maastricht Sunday are "inappropriate" with 30 percent in support and 24 percent undecided. afp

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