Fortuyn killer free, under 24/7 surveillance

Volkert van der G., the environmental activist who killed politician Pim Fortuyn, will be freed today after 12 years in prison, having served two-thirds of his sentence. Van der G. will have to adhere to some conditions of his release. Van der G. will have to report to his probation officer on a weekly basis. As a supervisory measure, Van der G. will be fitted with an ankle monitor with GPS. The Probation Service will know exactly where Van der G. is at all times of the day, and if he enters restricted areas, an alarm will go off. He has been given an area ban from Hilversum, Rotterdam, The Hague and the residences of his victim's surviving relatives. He is also restricted from taking up contact with surviving relatives or the media. Van der G. is ordered to receive mandatory treatment from a psychologist or psychiatrist. It is unclear where Van der G. will live. It is certain, however, that he will not return to his old home town of Hardewijk. It is being said that the only place Van der G. will truly be safe and free is abroad. According to lawyer of criminal law Sander Janssen, many delinquents are freed after serving two-thirds of their sentence and may leave for abroad if they want. "Because of these conditions, Van der G. can not do that now", Janssen tells NRC Handelsblad. If Van der G. wants to move, or if there are plans in the future to relocate him, then this will have to go through the Public Prosecution Authority (OM) and the Probation Service first. For his own safety, Van der G. was earlier not given temporary release. How his life will be safeguarded now, is unclear. Usually, the local triangle - mayor, district attorney and police - arrange the safety of ex-cons. For people who are under serious threat and have a function in society, safety is ensured on a national level. This is not a privilege ex-cons can enjoy, lawyer Janssen says. According to the NRC Handelsblad, there is a storm of threats from Fortuyn-supporters. This has been on the rise since the announcement of Van der G.'s early release. On the internet, for example, there is encouragement to find Van der G. Peter de Graaf, of the right-wing extremist activist group Identitair Verzet, told the NRC that they have been collecting money since 2002 to execute a revenge action. According to De Graaf, there are already concrete plans. A neo-nazi band posted a video on YouTube for their number 'Volkert must die'. Volkert van der G. should be released after the morning program at the prison. He will get a chance to say goodbye to fellow inmates and prison staff. He will then collect his personal items, and then go outside. Normally, inmates are collected by family or friends, or leave the prison by themselves, but with Van der G. it will be a different story.