Vollsmose terrorists
Encyclopedia
The Vollsmose terrorists are nine people arrested on charges of terrorism by the Danish police in the Vollsmose
neighbourhood of Odense
on September 5, 2006. According to Danish police, the group had been under investigation for quite a while.
Lene Espersen
, the Danish Minister of Justice, called the plot "the most severe ever in Denmark" and said the group were planning one or more terrorist attacks against targets in Denmark. Prosecutors later revealed that the attacks were meant against "a place where political decisions are made" such as the Folketing
, the Danish parliament.
One of the men, known as Lars, was 33 at the time and was used by the Politiets Efterretningstjeneste
(PET) to infiltrate the group. To do so, he posed as a Danish convert to Islam
.
The four other suspects were charged with planning acts of terrorism. The names of the suspects have not been disclosed.
The nine original suspects are two Iraqi brothers, one Kurd, five Palestinians and a Danish convert to Islam. At the time of their arrest they were aged 18, 18, 21, 27, 32, 32, 33. Six are Danish citizens.
None of the suspects had a criminal record.
Three or four of the suspects traveled together around Denmark engaging young Muslims in debates on Islam and Dawah
According to the prosecution, the suspects planned their attacks due to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
and Denmark's participation in the Iraq War.
experts due to the instability of the compound.
Personal computers were also confiscated. Apparently they contained bomb making instructions downloaded from the internet.
According to news reports Lars had worked as an integration counselor in Jutland
in 2001 when he was attacked by a person of Middle Eastern background. He had been taking medication for depression and anxiety ever since and has asked not to work with people who were not of Danish origin.
Vollsmose
Vollsmose is a suburb of Odense, Denmark, approximately 3 km North-East of central Odense. The city is made up by large concrete blocks and few row-houses. It has 12,000 inhabitants. The area has in the 90's been known throughout Denmark because of the high crime-rate. In the latest years many...
neighbourhood of 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...
on September 5, 2006. According to Danish police, the group had been under investigation for quite a while.
Lene Espersen
Lene Espersen
Lene Espersen is a Danish politician and member of parliament who has been Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs since 23 February 2010 and was leader of the Conservative People's Party and Deputy Prime Minister from 9 September 2008 to 13 January 2011...
, the Danish Minister of Justice, called the plot "the most severe ever in Denmark" and said the group were planning one or more terrorist attacks against targets in Denmark. Prosecutors later revealed that the attacks were meant against "a place where political decisions are made" such as the Folketing
Folketing
The Folketing , is the national parliament of Denmark. The name literally means "People's thing"—that is, the people's governing assembly. It is located in Christiansborg Palace, on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen....
, the Danish parliament.
Suspects
Two of the suspects were released the day of their arrest after preliminary questioning. Two others were released after eight weeks in isolation. The two denied any involvement in a terrorist plot.One of the men, known as Lars, was 33 at the time and was used by the Politiets Efterretningstjeneste
Politiets Efterretningstjeneste
Politiets Efterretningstjeneste is the national security intelligence agency of Denmark...
(PET) to infiltrate the group. To do so, he posed as a Danish convert to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
.
The four other suspects were charged with planning acts of terrorism. The names of the suspects have not been disclosed.
The nine original suspects are two Iraqi brothers, one Kurd, five Palestinians and a Danish convert to Islam. At the time of their arrest they were aged 18, 18, 21, 27, 32, 32, 33. Six are Danish citizens.
None of the suspects had a criminal record.
Three or four of the suspects traveled together around Denmark engaging young Muslims in debates on Islam and Dawah
Dawah
Da‘wah or Dawah usually denotes the preaching of Islam. Da‘wah literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation", being the active participle of a verb meaning variously "to summon" or "to invite"...
According to the prosecution, the suspects planned their attacks due to the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
The Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy began after 12 editorial cartoons, most of which depicted the Islamic prophet Muhammad, were published in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
and Denmark's participation in the Iraq War.
Evidence
Security services found ammonium nitrate, metal splinters and a bottle containing TATP explosives at various locations, including the suspects' houses. Ammonium nitrate is used in fertilizer bombs. The metal splinters, used to cause more damage upon explosion, were brought home by one of the suspects from a metal workshop where he worked. The TATP was destroyed by bomb disposalBomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
experts due to the instability of the compound.
Personal computers were also confiscated. Apparently they contained bomb making instructions downloaded from the internet.
The Trial
The trials started in the primo September. Not all information from the trials are made public. On the 10th of September the suspected leader of the group, known as MZ, confirmed that he in fact had been producing the explosive TATP, and had downloaded bomb manuals from the internet http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/kriminalitet/2007/09/10/173059.htm?rss=true.Defence
The defence claims that the PET mole organized and encouraged the plot. Additionally, he apparently had previous bad experience with Muslims and thereby is not a credible witness.According to news reports Lars had worked as an integration counselor in Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
in 2001 when he was attacked by a person of Middle Eastern background. He had been taking medication for depression and anxiety ever since and has asked not to work with people who were not of Danish origin.