THE HAGUE - Living in a secret location with 24-hour bodyguards, Dutch far-right MP Geert Wilders faces even tougher security after his film on Islam prompted an increased terror alert even before its release.
The 44-year-old politician with a striking mane of blonde hair thrives on the publicity he gets calling for an end to immigration from Muslim countries and for Turkey to be kept out of the European Union.
Wilders, who heads the Freedom Party, plans to release a short film this month which he says will depict the Koran as a "fascist book".
Dutch authorities on Thursday increased their nationwide terror alert, highlighting the risk from the movie.
The European Union, NATO, Iran, Egypt and Pakistan have expressed concern about the film even before it has been shown publicly, and there have been protests in Afghanistan.
"The Netherlands has been cast in a negative light in the Islamic world due to the tone of the debate on Islam in this country, especially since the announcement of a controversial film on the Koran," the justice ministry said.
Wilders, a tough talking populist, says that is not his concern.
"It's not the aim of the movie but people might be offended, I know that. So what the hell? It's their problem, not my problem," Wilders told the US television channel Fox News in an interview in January.
The Dutch media has speculated that Wilders could burn or tear up a Koran in the film.
The government fears such images could spark violent protests in Muslims countries remeniscent of widespread riots in 2005 after a Danish newspaper published cartoons depicting insulting images of the prophet Mohammed.
The government has appealed to Wilders to reconsider his plans.
A Dutch newspaper which said it has seen some opening images from the film, said it shows the cover of the Koran and then images of "a decapitation in Iraq, a stoning in Iran and an execution in Saudi Arabia, where sharia (Islamic law) is applied".
Wilders has had death threats before. He has lived under round-the-clock protection since the murder of outspoken columnist and filmmaker Theo van Gogh in November 2004.
Van Gogh was killed in Amsterdam after he directed a film scripted by Ayaan Hirsi Ali -- a former ally of Wilders -- which portrayed women in a state of subordination in Islamic society.
Wilders started his political career in the rightwing liberal VVD party. He became a deputy in 1998 but left the VVD in September 2004 saying it was not rightwing enough.
He created his own Freedom party before elections in 2006.
The party's hardline position on immigration helped the Wilders' group win nine seats in the 150 member parliament.
His critics call him a classic populist. Disenchanted voters see his party as filling a gap for those who see traditional rightwing parties as too soft. The collapse of the LPF party of murdered populist Pim Fortuyn, which also took a harsh stance on immigration, also boosted Wilders' popularity.
His blond mane with visible dark roots has a cult following and there is even a wig called the Geert popular with carnaval revellers.
Wilders is married to a Bulgarian whom he admits "sometimes does not agree with my ideas". He lists his hobbies on his website as reading and writing.
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