Denmark to beef up fight against terrorism

COPENHAGEN — Denmark’s government today (Feb 19) pledged 970 million kroner (S$201.6 million) to strengthen anti-terrorism measures, including by boosting foreign and domestic intelligence gathering.

The announcement follows weekend attacks against a free speech event and a synagogue left two people dead and five wounded in Copenhagen.

The government started drafting the plans last month after lawmakers demanded a review of anti-terror measures following the terror attacks by Islamic extremists in Paris.

Social Democratic prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt says the plan includes 415 million kroner to boost efforts to monitor Danes joining Islamic militant groups abroad and 200 million kroner to the domestic intelligence agency, and 150 million kroner to more IT and analysis capacity.

The government also wants more SWAT team members and bodyguards.

“Unfortunately I don’t think we ever get done (with fighting terror). The threat is changing all the time,” Ms Thorning-Schmidt said. After the attacks in the United States in 2001, Denmark tightened its terror legislation in 2002 and 2006.

The centre-right opposition is expected to back the plan.

A Danish filmmaker and a Jewish security guard were killed in the shootings. Five police officers were wounded. The 22-year-old gunman, Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, was killed by police in a shootout early Sunday.

Defense minister Nicolai Wammen said today that the M95 assault rifle that El-Hussein used in the first attack had been stolen in late 2013 from the home of a member of Denmark’s Home Guard, a volunteer unit. AP