Politiets Efterretningstjeneste
Encyclopedia
Politiets Efterretningstjeneste (PET) (The Danish Security and Intelligence Service abbreviated DSIS) is the national security
intelligence agency
of Denmark
. The agency focuses solely upon domestic security while foreign intelligence operations is handled by Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste
– an intelligence branch under the Danish military.
The stated overall purpose of PET is to "prevent, investigate and counter operations and activities that pose or may pose a threat to the preservation of Denmark as a free, democratic and safe country."
extremism
and counter espionage.
Counter terrorism does not only encompass stopping terrorist attacks upon Denmark and Danish interests but also to ensure Denmark isn’t used as a base of operations for carrying out terrorist attacks in and against other countries. Furthermore PET attempt to gather evidence to ensure that terrorists are prosecuted. Denmark is obliged by UN and EU resolutions to support other states in prosecuting terrorists.
Aside from the three main areas PET also provides counselling to Danish companies on how to avoid espionage(but is only directly involved in countering industrial espionage if an agency of a foreign government is involved). It has a role as national security advisor to the Danish government, public authorities and other branches of the police along with a number of other activities common to domestic security organisations.
PET also provides bodyguards for Danish royalty, politicians and other persons.
The headquarter is located in Copenhagen
, and they have offices in Århus and Odense
located in the local police stations. Because the service is integrated with the Danish police
, they have representatives in all police precincts of Denmark.
Besides those listed the agency is also under the control of the Courts of Denmark
(which has to approve many special steps of investigation, e.g. wire-tapping.)
National security
National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...
intelligence agency
Intelligence agency
An intelligence agency is a governmental agency that is devoted to information gathering for purposes of national security and defence. Means of information gathering may include espionage, communication interception, cryptanalysis, cooperation with other institutions, and evaluation of public...
of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. The agency focuses solely upon domestic security while foreign intelligence operations is handled by Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste
Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste
The Danish Defence Intelligence Service , is a Danish intelligence agency, responsible for Denmark’s foreign intelligence, as well as being the Danish military intelligence service...
– an intelligence branch under the Danish military.
The stated overall purpose of PET is to "prevent, investigate and counter operations and activities that pose or may pose a threat to the preservation of Denmark as a free, democratic and safe country."
Operations
The three main duties of the PET are counter terrorism, counterCounter
In digital logic and computing, a counter is a device which stores the number of times a particular event or process has occurred, often in relationship to a clock signal.- Electronic counters :...
extremism
Extremism
Extremism is any ideology or political act far outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common moral standards...
and counter espionage.
Counter terrorism does not only encompass stopping terrorist attacks upon Denmark and Danish interests but also to ensure Denmark isn’t used as a base of operations for carrying out terrorist attacks in and against other countries. Furthermore PET attempt to gather evidence to ensure that terrorists are prosecuted. Denmark is obliged by UN and EU resolutions to support other states in prosecuting terrorists.
Aside from the three main areas PET also provides counselling to Danish companies on how to avoid espionage(but is only directly involved in countering industrial espionage if an agency of a foreign government is involved). It has a role as national security advisor to the Danish government, public authorities and other branches of the police along with a number of other activities common to domestic security organisations.
PET also provides bodyguards for Danish royalty, politicians and other persons.
Organization
PET is a part of the Danish police but refers directly to the Minister of Justice.The headquarter is located in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, and they have offices in Århus and Odense
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
located in the local police stations. Because the service is integrated with the Danish police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, they have representatives in all police precincts of Denmark.
Supervision and oversight
Several organs oversee PET in order to make sure the agency does not misuse its powers.- Ministry of Justice.
- The parliamentary budget committee (RigsrevisionenRigsrevisionenRigsrevisionen is the national audit agency of Denmark and an independent institution of the Folketinget.It is responsible for auditing the expenditure of Danish central government, and also public-sector bodies in which the government has an economic interest, such as hospitals and the Danish...
) has oversight and supervision with the budgets. - The Wamberg committeeWamberg committeeThe Wamberg Committee , is the popular name for Oversight committee regarding the police and military intelligence agencies, in Denmark. The name is derived from the name of the first chairman of the committee A. M. Wamberg...
has oversight and supervision with the registration of people. - Parliamentary intelligence agencies control committee, that consist of five members, from each of the five biggest parties.
Besides those listed the agency is also under the control of the Courts of Denmark
Courts of Denmark
The Danish Supreme Court is the highest civil and criminal court responsible for the administration of justice in Denmark. The Kingdom of Denmark, consisting of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, does not have a single unified judicial system – Denmark has one system, Greenland another, and...
(which has to approve many special steps of investigation, e.g. wire-tapping.)
Criticism and public relations
PET was criticised in the late 1990s for being closed to the public and has tried to counter these claims by adopting a more open approach. Thus PET has taken to maintain a website explaining its overall aims and obligations and publishing an annual public report surveying extremist activities in Denmark and the threat level to national domestic security (albeit only in a very overall fashion).People with PET bodyguards
PET does not comment on whom they offer specific bodyguard protection. However, it is publicly established that the following people are under permanent protection:- Margrethe II of DenmarkMargrethe II of DenmarkMargrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
- Henrik, Prince Consort of DenmarkHenrik, Prince Consort of DenmarkHenrik, Prince Consort of Denmark , is the husband of the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II.-Early life:Henrik was born in Talence, Gironde, France...
- Frederik, Crown Prince of DenmarkFrederik, Crown Prince of DenmarkFrederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, is the heir apparent to the throne of Denmark. Frederik is the elder son of Queen Margrethe II and Henrik, the Prince Consort.-Name and christening:...
- Prince Joachim of DenmarkPrince Joachim of DenmarkPrince Joachim of Denmark, Count of Monpezat, , is a member of the Danish Royal Family. He is the younger son of Queen Margrethe II and Henrik, Prince Consort of Denmark....
- Lars Løkke RasmussenLars Løkke RasmussenLars Løkke Rasmussen is a Danish politician who served as Prime Minister of Denmark from April 2009 to October 2011. He is the leader of the centre-right liberal party, Venstre....
, former Prime minister of DenmarkPrime Minister of DenmarkThe Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. The Prime Minister is traditionally the leader of a political coalition in the Folketing and presides over the cabinet.... - Helle Thorning Schmidt, Prime minister of DenmarkPrime Minister of DenmarkThe Prime Minister of Denmark is the head of government in Danish politics. The Prime Minister is traditionally the leader of a political coalition in the Folketing and presides over the cabinet....
- Pia KjærsgaardPia KjærsgaardPia Merete Kjærsgaard is a Danish politician. She is a co-founder and current leader of the Danish People's Party, a nativist, national conservative political party in Denmark...
, Leader of Dansk Folkeparti - Naser KhaderNaser KhaderNaser Khader is Danish-Syrian and a former member of the Parliament of Denmark for the Conservative Party. As a member of Parliament, he has represented both Social Liberal Party and Liberal Alliance, the latter as founding leader, until January 5, 2009...
, Member of the Danish parliament - Kurt WestergaardKurt WestergaardKurt Westergaard is a Danish cartoonist who created the controversial cartoon of the Islamic prophet Muhammad wearing a bomb in his turban. This cartoon was the most contentious of the 12 Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons, which met with strong and sometimes violent reactions from Muslims worldwide...
, cartoonist
See also
- Danish Defense Intelligence Service (Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste, FE) Its military counterpart
- The PET Commission.
- Intelligence (information gathering)Intelligence (information gathering)Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
- Politics of DenmarkPolitics of DenmarkThe Politics of Denmark takes place in a framework of a parliamentary, representative democratic, constitutional monarchy, in which the Prime Minister is the head of government, and of a multi-party system...