Joan Clements
London Telegraph
Saturday, November 18, 2006

Holland is to become the first country in Europe to ban the burqa after the government announced plans to introduce legislation outlawing the head-to-toe Islamic garment "within days".

The cabinet decreed yesterday that it posed a "terrorist threat" because it prevented the wearers' face being identified. The ban is likely to extend to all face-covering veils and prevent anyone "appearing in public with covered facial features".

Rita Verdonk, the hard-line immigration minister known as "Iron Rita", has made no secret of her dislike of the garment, which she believes "aids and abets the repression of women".

Calling it "a danger to the country's security" yesterday, she said it was undesirable "for reasons of public order, security and protection of citizens".

"People should be recognisable and, from the standpoint of integration, we think people should be able to communicate with one another."

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Ministers concluded last week that a ban should be introduced but that it would be against constitutional law. However, Mrs Verdonk said she had found a loophole that had been given cabinet support. She said an existing ban on the wearing of integral motorcycle helmets could be extended to cover the burqa.

Muslim groups denounced the decision as a "ridiculous" overreaction. "I do not think people who have bad things in their minds would wear a burqa," said a spokesman for the CMO, the main Muslim body. He said only 30 people wore them in Holland.