Denmark’s intelligence service disrupts terror attack against Mohammad cartoon newspaper

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK -- Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service (PET) on Wednesday disrupted a terrorist attack against a local newspaper that published a cartoon of the prophet Mohammad in 2005, which angered the Muslim community.

According to Politiken newspaper, PET arrested five individuals suspected of preparing the attack against the Jyllands-Posten office building. Four people were detained in Denmark and another in Stockholm, Sweden.

PET informed that the suspected terrorists were in the process of preparing an attack against a building located on the main town hall square Rådhuspladsen in Copenhagen. The building hosts the offices of both the Jyllands-Posten and Politiken newspapers.

"Several of the suspects, who can be described as militant islamists with connections to international terrorist networks, were planning to attempt entry into JP/Politiken premises in Copenhagen and kill as many of those present as possible," informed PET.

The arrests were made in the Herlev and Greve suburbs, south of Copenhagen. Three of the suspects arrived overnight in a vehicle rented at a gas station in Kitsa, near Stockholm. The operation had the collaboration of the Swedish Security Police SAPO.

Police forces discovered an assault rifle, a silencer and several ammunition during a subsequent search after the arrests. Law enforcement agents also found plastic strips, the ones used by police officers to restrain suspects’ hands.

"The arrests show the serious nature of the terrorist threat targeted at Denmark and particularly institutions and people connected to the cartoon issue," says PET Chief Jakob Scharff.

Three of the suspects live in Sweden, a 44-year-old man from Tunisia, a 29-year-old Lebanese national, and a Swedish man of 30 years of age. One of them is a 26-year-old Iraqi asylum-seeker that currently resides in Denmark.

SAPO arrested a fifth suspect in Stockholm who was identified as a 37-year-old Swedish man of Tunisian origin. PET announced that further arrests might be made as the investigation is ongoing but ensured that the attack was disrupted for the time being.

"It is shocking for our employees and their families to once again see their place of work threatened," said JP/Politikens Managing Director Lars Munch. "We are gratified by the efforts of the Danish and Swedish security and intelligence agencies and we have great confidence in the police and intelligence service efforts to protect us."

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