BREAKING: Five arrested in Denmark/Sweden, planned to attack Mohammed cartoons newspaper in the next few days
Updated: Post bumped up with new info
Five people were arrested on suspicion of planning a terror attack in Copenhagen: Four in Denmark and one in Sweden.
According to a press release by the Dansh security service PET, the suspects had been watched for a long time, and the investigation involved close cooperation with the Swedish security police. Some of the suspects were arrested in the Copenhagen suburbs of Herlev and Greve.
Three of the men reside in Sweden and came to Denmark tonight. The fourth lives in Denmark. They are a Tunisian citizen (44), a Lebanese born Swedish citizen (29), a Swedish citizen of unknown origin (30) and an Iraqi asylum seeker (26).
Swedish authorities meanwhile arrested a 37 year old Swedish citizen of Tunisian origin in Stockholm.
The police confiscated plastic strips which can be used as handcuffs,as well as a machine pistol with silencer and ammunition.
PET says that the suspects were planning an attack against a newspaper, apparently Jyllands-Posten in Copenhagen, in the next few days.Source: BT (Danish)
Update:
The suspects planned to burst into the building housing Jyllands-Posten and several other newspapers (JP/Politiken building) with a machine pistol. PET says that the attack was planned for the days before New Year's. Danish newspaper Ekstrabladet reports that the attack might have been planned for today, as three of the suspects were arrested in Herlev in a car, holding a machine pistol.
Crown prince Frederik was in the building today at 5:30 pm to award the Årets Fund 2010 sports award. The suspects were arrested at around 1:30 pm.
The suspects:
* Iraqi aslum-seeker )26), residing in Denmark - arrested in Greve, Denmark
* Tunisian citizen (44) - arrested in Herlev
* Swedish citizen (29), born in Lebanon - arrested in Herlev
* Swedish citizen (30), unknown origins - arrested in Herlev
* Swedish citizen (37), Tunisian origin - arrested in Stockholm, Sweden
Sources: Ekstrabladet 1, 2, 3 (Danish)
Update 2:
The Swedish security service Säpo got wind of the attack plans two months ago and contacted PET.
The three Swedish citizens drove into Denmark Tuesday night with a rental car. Säpo were aware that the men were armed. The person who was arrested in Sweden was also involved in preparing the attack.
The Crown Prince was not the target, the target was Jyllands-Posten. The gang intended to enter the JP building and kill as many people as possible.
PET says that the suspects probably have links to international terror networks. One or more had been in Denmark previously.
Update 3:
The Muslim Join Council says in a press release: "The Muslim Joint Council thinks it's particularly worrying that there were plans for a terror attack against targets in Denmark. The Muslim Join Council unconditionally reject any terror attack, regardless of the motives or reasons behind it!"
"It's important to emphasize that any form of terror acts are and will always be in conflict with Islam!"
Sources: Nettavisen (Norwegian), Aftonbladet (Swedish), Kristligt-Dagblad, BT (Danish)
