THE HAGUE, 13/03/09 - The police corps in The Hague region received 428 reports from threatened politicians last year. Two-thirds came from Party for Freedom (PVV) leader Geert Wilders.

After investigation, the police concluded that 304 of the 424 reports indeed involved punishable threats. These were processed into official crime reports, on the basis of which the Public Prosecutor's Office (OM) is authorised to take action.

Of the 304 reports, 170 were transferred to another police corps first for further investigation. The Hague corps itself processed the other 134. How many suspects were arrested and prosecuted is not known, newspaper Nederlands Dagblad reported yesterday based on OM figures.

The number of reports of politicians being threatened has risen enormously in recent years. The number had reached 264 by 2007. The 2008 figure shows a further sharp increase.

The Hague being the seat of parliament means the police corps of this region receives the bulk of reports from threatened politicians. The corps has for some time had a special Threatened Politicians Team (TBP).

Public Prosecutor Nicole Vogelenzang, with special responsibility for threats to politicians, partly explains the increase by a special regime set up for Wilders. He receives so many threats that it is impossible for him to keep making separate reports in each case.

Wilders is allowed to 'save up' his hate-mails and other threats and deliver them once a week to The Hague police as a package. Additionally, he and other threatened politicians do not have to go to a police station themselves, but can authorise somebody else to go on their behalf. In the Netherlands criminals can be prosecuted in general only if the victim files an official police report.