Muslim woman quits after threats

By Chris Morris
BBC Europe correspondent

The latest letter to Naima Amzil's employer contained two bullets

A Muslim woman in Belgium who received national attention after her employer was targeted with death threats has left her job.

Naima Amzil resigned after another threatening letter arrived.

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said he was disappointed and he vowed that the people responsible for the threats would be caught.

Ms Amzil is originally from Morocco. She has been singled out because she is a Muslim and she wears a headscarf.

The latest in a series of letters sent to her employer from a group calling itself New Free Flanders was too much for her.

Royal praise

The letter contained two bullets and said an execution was being prepared. It also threatened to poison produce made at the delicatessen factory in west Flanders where she worked.

When I arrived here in my headscarf Rik said it was no problem. I never thought there would come a time when I would take it off Naima Amzil Hate mail shocks Belgium

Politicians and trades unions have condemned the threats but Ms Amzil has now succumbed to the pressure and resigned.

The first threatening letter was sent to her boss, Rik Remmery, in November; a series of others following, containing threats of arson and murder.

Mr Remmery and Ms Amzil were congratulated in the media for refusing to give in to blackmail.

King Albert invited them to the royal palace in a very public show of support. But the letters kept coming and, for the moment, the people responsible for sending them have got what they wanted.