An Iranian intelligence service had prepared an attack against an Iranian Arab opposition figure living in Denmark. The attack was reportedly foiled.
“We are dealing with an Iranian intelligence agency planning an attack on Danish soil,” Danish domestic intelligence chief Finn Borch Andersen said. “Obviously, we can’t and won’t accept that.”
As reported by Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany’s international broadcaster, police arrested a Norwegian citizen of Iranian heritage in relation to the planned attack, saying the suspect had helped Iranian intelligence “to act in Denmark”.
Andersen said the suspect had taken photographs of the residences of members of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz (ASMLA).
Tehran has designated the group a terrorist organisation and accused them of attacking a military parade in September, allegations ASMLA has firmly denied. The Ahvazi Arabs have called for an independent state in the Khuzestan Province of Iran.
Andersen said the main suspect had denied any wrongdoing. He added that Denmark had reached out to its European partners to determine “further steps.”
Andersen noted that a massive operation in September that saw Danish authorities cut land links to the island of Zealand – where the capital Copenhagen is located – was part of a chase to capture a person suspected of involvement in the foiled attack.
However, it was later proved that a stolen car registered in Sweden, which had prompted the operation, was not linked to the attack.
