2. Yes, he wanted to 'make a statement'.
From the NOS:
Amsterdam - after almost 7 hours the hostage situation in the Rembrandttower (near the Amstel train-station), Amsterdam came to an end. The 59 years old perpetrator has shot himself twice (!) in the head in the toilet. He later died because of these wounds. None of the hastages were hurt.
On about half ten the man from Uithoorn made his way into the tower and took 18 people as hostage. He threathened with a bomb. The actions was aimed at Philips and other widescreen-TV maufacturers, who, according to him, force people to buy a widescreen-TV.
During the action the Amstelstation was evacuated. Police suspected explosives there. At 18.45 the station was opened to the public again.
The man protested against the sale of a bad widescreen TV of the brand Philips. Philips was located in the tower a half year ago.
From 'Algemeen Dagblad': the man had a machine-gun from Heckler&Koch (I think it would be an MP-5, note that all full-automatic weapons are forbidden here), a handgun with ammo and an unknown explosive.
The guy also posted a letter in the 'Algemeen Dagblad', where he complained about the black areas on his TV screen. "Why do I have to suffer for a few widescreen-TV viewers." Signed with his initials 'J.W.R.'