# Jason Walters

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**Jason Walters** or **Jamal** (born 6 March 1985) is a Dutch citizen who was sentenced to fifteen years in prison on charges related to [Islamic terrorism](/source/Islamic_terrorism).

## Early life

Jason Walters was born on 6 March 1985 to an [American](/source/United_States) soldier based in the [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands) and a [Dutch](/source/Dutch_(ethnic_group)) woman.[1] His neighbors stated that he was pro-American as an adolescent.[1]

Walters converted to Islam at 16 (some sources say 13)[2] and later adopted the name Abu Mujahied Amrik.[2] His mother, recently divorced, and with two younger daughters at home, felt increasingly unsafe, finally fleeing to a [woman's shelter](/source/Woman's_shelter).[1]

His talk about jihad against the non-believers caused his mosque to ban him and his brother, [Jermaine Walters](/source/Jermaine_Walters), and notify the authorities.

Walters has made at least one visit to [Pakistan](/source/Pakistan) and possibly to [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan) where it is alleged he has received training at a [terrorist training camp](/source/Terrorist_training_camp), and in 2003, Walters wrote a farewell letter to his mother.[3][4]

## Arrest and conviction

Walters, at the time 19,[1] was arrested along with Ismail Akhnikh on November 10, 2004, after a 14-hour siege in [The Hague](/source/The_Hague). This was one of a series of raids on suspected Muslim terrorist cells following the 2 November 2004 assassination of filmmaker [Theo van Gogh](/source/Theo_van_Gogh_(film_director)) by fellow [Hofstad Network](/source/Hofstad_Network) member [Mohammed Bouyeri](/source/Mohammed_Bouyeri). Near the end of this siege, Walters threw a hand grenade at police.[1]

According to police, Walters had his own plans to assassinate Dutch political figures he deemed [anti-Muslim](/source/Islamophobia), and his hit list included two members of parliament, [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](/source/Ayaan_Hirsi_Ali), a native of [Somalia](/source/Somalia), and [Geert Wilders](/source/Geert_Wilders). Both, like van Gogh, had been outspoken critics of [Islam](/source/Islam) in the Netherlands, particularly its treatment of women.[1]

On 10 March 2006, Walters was convicted with eight others in the [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands) on charges of terrorism. He was sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment.[5]

## Release

He was released from prison in May 2013.[6] In a first interview[7] in 2018, he said he had become [deradicalized](/source/Deradicalization) in prison through self study, citing the works of [Nietzsche](/source/Friedrich_Nietzsche), [Plato](/source/Plato) and [Heidegger](/source/Martin_Heidegger) as crucial. He also said that [radicalization](/source/Radicalization) is an [existential](/source/Existentialism) choice.[8]

## References

1. [Richburg, Keith B., *From Quiet Teen to Terrorist Suspect*](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35950-2004Dec4.html), Washington Post, 5 December 2004

1. ["Afscheidsbrief van Jason Walters"](http://www.geenstijl.nl/mt/archieven/002901.html). *[Geenstijl](/source/Geenstijl)*. 11 November 2004.

1. ["SocioSite: Jihad in the Netherlands - Chronicle of a Political Murder Foretold"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070513045812/http://www.sociosite.org/jihad_nl_en.php#jason_w). *sociosite.org*. Archived from [the original](http://www.sociosite.org/jihad_nl_en.php#jason_w) on 2007-05-13. Retrieved 2006-05-21.

1. [In naam van allah de barmhartig de genadevolle](http://www.sociosite.org/jason_w_afscheidsbrief.php), Jason Walters farewell letter to his mother (Dutch)

1. ["Rechtbank heeft uitspraak gedaan in zaken verdachten Hofstadgroep"](https://web.archive.org/web/20060422021517/http://www.rechtspraak.nl/Gerechten/Rechtbanken/s-Gravenhage/Actualiteiten/Rechtbank+heeft+uitspraak+gedaan+in+zaken+verdachten+Hofstadgroep.htm). *rechtspraak.nl*. Archived from [the original](http://www.rechtspraak.nl/Gerechten/Rechtbanken/s-Gravenhage/Actualiteiten/Rechtbank+heeft+uitspraak+gedaan+in+zaken+verdachten+Hofstadgroep.htm) on 2006-04-22.

1. ["Lid Hofstadgroep Jason W. is vrij"](https://nos.nl/artikel/505539-lid-hofstadgroep-jason-w-is-vrij.html). *NOS*. 11 May 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2017.

1. ["Jason W. spreekt"](https://www.niw.nl/jason-w-spreekt/) (in Dutch). *[Nieuw Israelitisch Weekblad](/source/Nieuw_Israelitisch_Weekblad)*. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.

1. ["Ex-terrorist Jason deradicaliseerde in de cel door zelfstudie: "Plato en Nietzsche hebben me gered. En toen moest mijn hele wereldbeeld op de schop""](https://www.hln.be/nieuws/buitenland/ex-terrorist-jason-deradicaliseerde-in-de-cel-door-zelfstudie-plato-en-nietzsche-hebben-me-gered-en-toen-moest-mijn-hele-wereldbeeld-op-de-schop~ab9a399d/) (in Dutch). *[Het Laatste Nieuws](/source/Het_Laatste_Nieuws)*. 4 June 2018. Retrieved 4 June 2018.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jason Walters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Walters) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Walters?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.