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TERRORISM

Terror threat in Denmark has increased: PET

A new report from the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) says that the number of Danes fighting in Syria and Iraq has increased, as has the risk of a terror attack.

Terror threat in Denmark has increased: PET
The report said that at least 110 Danes have fought in Syria or Iraq. Photo: Stringer/Scanpix
Using a small but significant change in language, domestic intelligence agency PET has warned of a greater risk of a terror attack in Denmark. 
 
The latest threat level assessment from PET’s Center for Terror Analysis (CTA) states that “the terror threat against Denmark is serious, but the risk of being the victim of a terror attack in Denmark is limited”. 
 
In CTA’s previous threat level assessment, the agency called the risk of a terror attack “very limited”. 
 
The head of PET, Jens Madsen, confirmed to broadcaster DR that the change in language was intentional. 
 
“I want to stress that the risk is still limited, but we have changed the formulation because of negative developments in the current terror situation. This is particularly due to the fact that we are continuing to see a stream of people leaving Denmark for the conflict in Syria and Iraq,” he said. 
 
The CTA report also upped the estimation for the confirmed number of Danes who have fought in Syria from 100 to 110, though PET said that the actual number is likely higher. The report also said that at least 16 Danes have been killed while fighting in Syria and Iraq. 
 
CTA wrote that many leave Denmark because of the impression that Islam is under attack by the West, a message that was on display earlier this week in Copenhagen when supporters of Hizb ut-Tahir held a rally in support of Sharia Law and against what they called “Danish politicians’ attacks against Islam and Muslims”. 
 
The PET report comes in the wake of three Isis supporters being arrested in Saudi Arabia for shooting and wounding a Danish national. 
 

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TERRORISM

Italian police arrest Algerian wanted for alleged IS ties

Police in Milan said on Thursday they had arrested a 37-year-old Algerian man in the subway, later discovering he was wanted for alleged ties to Islamic State.

Italian police arrest Algerian wanted for alleged IS ties

When stopped by police officers for a routine check, the man became “particularly aggressive”, said police in Milan, who added the arrest took place “in recent days”.

He was “repeatedly shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ while attempting to grab from his backpack an object that turned out to be a knife with a blade more than 12cm (nearly five inches) long,” they said in a statement.

The man was later found to be wanted by authorities in Algeria, suspected since 2015 of belonging to “Islamic State militias and employed in the Syrian-Iraqi theatre of war,” police said.

Police said the suspect was unknown to Italian authorities.

The man is currently in Milan’s San Vittore prison and awaiting extradition, they added.

Jihadist group IS proclaimed a “caliphate” in 2014 across swathes of Syria and Iraq, launching a reign of terror that continues with hit-and-run attacks and ambushes.

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