Danish police shoot gunman after attacks in Copenhagen
Print Edition
POLICE yesterday shot dead a gunman whose attacks on a Copenhagen synagogue and an event promoting free speech may have been inspired by an attack on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo last month.
Denmark’s spy chief Jens Madsen said the gunman was known to the intelligence services and probably acted alone. He did not elaborate.
Two civilians were killed and five police were wounded in the two separate attacks in the Danish capital on Saturday.
“We cannot yet say anything concrete about the motive, but are considering that he might have been inspired by the events in Paris some weeks ago,” Madsen told reporters.
Danish authorities have been on alert since Islamist gunmen killed 17 people in three days of violence in Paris in January that began with an attack on Charlie Hebdo, long known for its acerbic cartoons on Islam, other religions and politicians.
Police who had earlier released a photo of the suspect dressed in a heavy winter coat and maroon mask, said they did not believe he had received training in Jihadist camps in the Middle East.
Witnesses to the Copenhagen attacks said the gunman fired up to 40 shots at a cafe hosting a free speech event with Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who has received death threats for depicting the head of the Prophet Mohammad on a dog.
Vilks was unhurt but a 55-year-old man was killed. A guard was later shot in the head outside Copenhagen’s biggest synagogue, where around 80 people were celebrating a confirmation. Two police officers were also wounded there.
Police shot dead the suspect early yesterday after he opened fire on them near a railway station in the Noerrebro district, not far from the sites of the two attacks. Officers later searched his home, which was nearby.
Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said the attacks were terrorism and promised to protect freedom of speech and Denmark’s small but vibrant Jewish community.
“When you mercilessly fire deadly bullets at innocent people taking part in a debate, when you attack the Jewish community, you attack our democracy,” Thorning-Schmidt said outside the synagogue.
Denmark’s former chief rabbi, Rabbi Bent Lexner, told Israeli Army Radio the synagogue guard was “a fantastic guy,” adding: “We are in shock. I am sitting now with the parents of the man killed. We didn’t think such a thing could happen in Denmark.”
French Ambassador Francois Zimeray had just finished introducing the cafe event, entitled “Art, Blasphemy and Freedom of Expression,” when the assailant opened fire. The venue was heavily-guarded by police, who fired back, but the attacker escaped.
Vilks sheltered on the floor of a cold room at the back of the cafe with one of the event’s organizers.
“The rather spare audience got to experience fear and horror — and tragedy. I can’t say it affected me as I was well looked after,” Vilks wrote in a blog post.
Denmark became a target of violent Islamists 10 years ago after the publication of cartoons lampooning the prophet.
Vilks stirred controversy himself in 2007 with drawings depicting Mohammad’s head on a dog, triggering death threats.
He has lived under Swedish police protection since 2010. Two years ago, an American woman was jailed for 10 years in the United States for plotting to kill him.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
