THE HAGUE (BNO NEWS) — The Dutch Foundation ‘Pink Army’ on Monday said it will file a class action suit against former U.S. general John Sheehan over remarks that Dutch U.N. troops failed to prevent the 1995 Srebrenica genocide because of openly gay soldiers.

John Sheehan, a former NATO commander and senior Marine officer, made the controversial remarks at a U.S. Senate hearing on Thursday, in which he argued against plans to end a ban on allowing gays to serve openly in the U.S. military.

Sheehan said his claim was based on conversations with former Dutch Chief of Staff Henk van den Breemen. Van den Breemen, however, called the claim ‘total nonsense’ and denied ever having suggested that gays in the army might have played a role in the massacre.

Other Dutch leaders also strongly rejected the allegation.