World

‘Imminent Terror Attack’: 5 Arrested in Plan to Shoot Up Muhammad Cartoon Building

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Five men planning to shoot as many people as possible in a building housing the newsroom of a paper that published cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad were arrested Wednesday in an operation that halted an imminent attack, intelligence officials said.

Denmark’s intelligence service said that after months of surveillance they had arrested four men in two raids in suburbs of the capital, Copenhagen, and seized a submachine gun, a silencer and ammunition. Swedish police said they arrested a 37-year-old Swedish citizen of Tunisian origin living in Stockholm.

“An imminent terror attack has been foiled,” said Jakob Scharf, head of the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, or PET. He described some the suspects as “militant Islamists with relations to international terror networks” and said that more arrests were possible.

PET said it seized a 44-year-old Tunisian, a 29-year-old Lebanese-born man and a 30-year-old who were living in Sweden and had entered Denmark late Tuesday or early Wednesday. The fourth person detained was a 26-year-old Iraqi asylum-seeker living in Copenhagen.

The Danish intelligence service said the group had been planning to enter the building where the Jyllands-Posten daily has its Copenhagen newsdesk and had wanted “to kill as many of the people present as possible.” The four men face preliminary charges of attempting to carry out an act of terrorism. They will face a custody hearing Thursday.

“I am shocked that a group of people have concrete plans to commit a serious terrorist attack in this country,” Danish Prime Minister Loekke Rasmussen told reporters. “I want to stress that regardless of today’s event it remains my conviction that terrorism must not lead us to change our open society and our values, especially democracy and free speech.”

Danish and Swedish police, who appeared at a joint new conference with Loekke Rasmussen in Copenhagen, said they had been tailing the suspects for several months.

Anders Danielsson, the head of Sweden’s security police, said they had followed a car rented by the suspects from Stockholm to the Danish border.

“We knew that there were weapons in the car,” he said.

Zubair Butt Hussain, a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Denmark, called the plan “extremely worrying.”

The organization “absolutely condemns any act of terrorism regardless of the motives and motivations that may lie behind,” Hussain said.

There have been at least four plots to attack Jyllands-Posten or Kurt Westergaard, the artist who drew the most contentious of 12 cartoons, which were published by the daily in 2005 as a challenge to perceived self-censorship.

“The foiled plot is a direct attack on democracy and freedom of press,” Westergaard told the German tabloid Bild. “We may not and won’t let anyone forbid us to criticize radical Islamism. We may not be intimidated when it comes to our values.”

In January, a Somali man broke into Westergaard’s home wielding an ax and a knife but the artist escaped unharmed by locking himself in a safe-room in the house. In 2008, two Tunisians with Danish residence permits were arrested for plotting to kill him.

In September, a man was wounded when a letter bomb he was preparing exploded in a Copenhagen hotel. Police said it was intended for the daily, which has also been targeted in a number of thwarted terror plots in Norway and the United States.

U.S. citizen Tahawwur Rana faces trial in Chicago in February in connection with the 2008 terrorist attacks in the Indian city of Mumbai and a planned attack on the Jyllands-Posten.

The cartoons also provoked massive and violent protests in 2006 in Muslim countries where demonstrators considered the drawings as having profoundly insulted Islam. Islamic law generally opposes any depiction of the prophet, even favorable, for fear it could lead to idolatry.

In 2008, the Danish Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan, was targeted by a car bomb that killed six people outside the mission.

The attacks and threats have caused concern and unprecedented security measures in Denmark, a country that prides itself on personal freedom and openness.

The JPPOL media group building, which includes Jyllands-Posten, is protected by metal fences and guards at all entrances. Mail is scanned and newspaper staff need identity cards to enter the buildings and the various floors.

Lars Munch, JPPOL chief executive, said his workers were worried.

“It is appalling for our group, for our employees and their families to see their workplace threatened,” Munch said.

Scharf said “there was no need to raise the terror threat alert level” in Denmark, although Danish Justice Minister Lars Barfoed described the plot as “terrifying.”

“The group’s plan to kill as many as possible is very frightening and is probably the most serious terror attempt in Denmark,” Barfoed said.

The head of Sweden’s security police, Anders Danielsson, said that “it has been possible to avert a serious terror crime in Denmark through efficient and close cooperation between PET and the (Swedish) security police.”

Danielsson said the suspects who are residents in Sweden are also being investigated for suspected terror crimes in that country.

—

Associated Press Writer Louise Nordstrom contributed to this report from Stockholm.

Comments (94)

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  • Johnnyp1958
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:38pm

    The Muslims don’t like it when sombody critizes there monkey in a suit called muhammad, but its OK for this muslim trash to kill Christians

    Report Post »  
  • C.C.D.
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:37pm

    Terror Attacks by Islam will never stop until one thing happens. Either the demise of Islam, or the demise of the Christians and Jews. Under the blind fold of political correctness there is a on going war by Islam that started in the 1st century. You don’t need Nostradamus or a prophecy from the Bible to tell you that sooner or later it will be a problem that every American will have to face. The only question will remain, what side are you on? I say, read the book Ecclesiastes and prepare…

    Report Post »  
    • Passerby
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 3:16pm

      No Islam in the first century, but yeah, essentially correct. In general, Muslims are becoming less supportive of terrorism, but have a long way to go, and with the spread of WMD, we’re running out of time.

      Report Post » Passerby  
  • zagfan
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:08pm

    A woman in Seattle wanted to start a Mohammed cartoon day, she got so many death threats that the FBI told her to change her name and move. They said they couldn’t protect her!

    Any cartoons have to be done with out any name attached to them…Graffiti any one?

    Report Post » zagfan  
  • rbagala
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:08pm

    The war of religions that we are currently embroiled, attacks on each religions’ icons would become part of the war. No matter how hard these Muslims try to stop insults on Mohamed the proverbial Pandora’s box has been opened and for each attack they make in the name of Allah ten would replace them, especially in this internet world where insulting Islam and the ease of enraging them makes it a perfect “attack” tool.
    Even Imperial Japan or NAZI Germany never went ballistic from war time propaganda instead they used their own propaganda machine to do the same to us. The Muslims will lose if they resort to violence every time there is a caricature of Mohamed or a Koran is burned.

    Report Post »  
  • dealer@678
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:06pm

    Dont wanna see the look on these muslims faces when they realize in the end that they have not been worshiping muhammad BUT Lucifer himself

    Report Post »  
  • BurntHills
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:01pm

    shows us all just how “peaceful” these muslims are to still be MURDEROUSLY planning attacks about a simple cartoon about their pedophile prophet years ago.

    Report Post » BurntHills  
  • youguysready_letsroll
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:53pm

    Starting to believe that Islam is a mental disease. Where are the good/normal Islamic folk?

    Report Post » youguysready_letsroll  
  • Randeecobra
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:40pm

    So here is the plan…do a fly over where these idiots hide, you know caves…drop cartons of Muhammad all over, as well as used kotex, they will go stupid with rage and begin running around in circles slapping their heads. Keep dropping the cartons and kotex for weeks on end. Pretty soon they will begin to drop dead. Once the last nut job is dead, problem over. Remember folks these are a people that have no industry, cannot make wire or a light bulb, cannot produce aspirin or tooth paste, simply put, stone age monkeys.

    Report Post »  
    • LVMerrily
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 4:29pm

      Drop pork chops instead. Aerial spray pigs blood and they will melt like the witch in Wizard of Oz

      Report Post »  
  • tess q
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:39pm

    five years later and they still want blood. religion of peace?

    Report Post » tess q  
  • rbqueen
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:36pm

    Obama read his words, if you can’t read have someone read it in very simple little words for you:

    Danish Prime Minister Loekke Rasmussen told reporters. “I want to stress that regardless of today’s event it remains my conviction that terrorism must not lead us to change our open society and our values, especially democracy and free speech.”

    Report Post »  
  • jst1425
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:30pm

    WAKE UP AMERICA!!
    The terrorists are in our midst…let’s run a short list here;
    Obama
    Soros
    All of the Left wing Democrats that “We The People” voted into our government offices, etc

    So, read the news and feel good about not having any terrorists attacks in our homeland…but be VERY afraid of the terrorists that hold office and are appointed to powerful positions by our “elected political machine” that is slowly and methodically taking over our country and destroying it “From Within”!

    Report Post » jst1425  
    • chips1
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 3:17pm

      JST1425:
      Age has overtaken me. I was thinking it and you already posted it. Thanks!

      Report Post »  
    • BeckIsNuts
      Posted on December 30, 2010 at 5:40pm

      Your statement is idiotic on many levels. Terrorism is not demonstrated by any of those people. None of them is a terrorist. More Beck-babble from the Beckites.

      Report Post »  
  • OhMyGosh
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:24pm

    The terrorists are everywhere! They have implanted themselves in every country. It is insane to say that the United States has to worry about “Home Grown” terrorists. There is no such thing, they are all related to islam in one way or another. TSA should be profiling! This article is further truth of that. Our lib congress and news oultlets are out of their minds! The Danish and Sweeds give proof to that here in this article.

    May the Lord Bless this Country of Ours. It has strayed so far from the truth, and wandering farther. Who was it that just said gay marriage being made legal is next? Those in the White House are Shredding our Constitution till it will hang by a thread. All the while comprimising our National Security. The only way we will survive is by being faithful Christians. Each of us individually has to do our part to live each day as a conscious Christian to the best of our ability, then the Lord will save the United States of America.

    Report Post »  
    • ReaganBaby
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:28pm

      Amen! God bless the promised land. We must remember who we are. We cant change the extremist, but we can counter them with Christianity and become a god fearing people and have the blessing of the almighty. Stand for truth!

      Report Post » ReaganBaby  
    • Passerby
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:37pm

      Testify Reaganbaby,

      Godless Libertarians are the path to Sharia Law.

      Report Post » Passerby  
  • Passerby
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:20pm

    And these liberals/libertarians say Christianity is like Sharia Law.

    Infuriating.

    Report Post » Passerby  
  • Alinskyrevenge
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:15pm

    Please read..! Download (free) PDF
    “SHARIAH: THE THREAT TO AMERICA”
    .
    Team leaders:
    Lieutenant General William G. “Jerry” Boykin—US Army (Ret.), former
    Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence
    Lieutenant General Harry Edward Soyster—US Army (Ret.), former Director,
    Defense Intelligence..
    …bit.ly/gSNWc7…

    Report Post » Alinskyrevenge  
  • N34W118
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:13pm

    Islam is a cancer metastasizing once again. It did this centuries ago and was driven back to the deserts. This time when we drive it back to the deserts we should treat it with LARGE doses of RADIATION to once and for all destroy the cancer.

    Report Post » N34W118  
  • Disabledvet
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:08pm

    one was an Iraqi seeking asylum, asylum denied send him back to Iraq. Europe needs to wake up and see the light, these a$$ wipes for what they are, killers. Muhammad is a gay child molester.

    Report Post »  
  • starman70
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:04pm

    Mohammed was a liberal progressive!

    Report Post »  
  • clockn63
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:01pm

    When will people wake up? Look,I don‘t know one muslim but I’m told some are peaceful. It seems to me they need to take a hold of the reins and come out very stongly and make a protest of the extremest. The peaceful muslims need to revolt against their evil counterpart. If that happend the support would be world wide then possibly the extremest would scurry back into their caves again.

    I don’t know, just venting!

    Report Post » clockn63  
  • sjohn70037
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:00pm

    muslims suck… ALL muslims suck.

    Report Post » sjohn70037  
  • texasfarmer
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:59pm

    I guess the problem could be interbreeding.

    Report Post » texasfarmer  
  • J.C. McGlynn
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:54pm

    As has been pointed out before islam is a religion peace, love and understanding. Mainly the peace that comes after the shootings, the love they have for doing it, and the understanding they will reach their heaven when they destroy all who dare defile their religion.

    Report Post » J.C. McGlynn  
    • Islesfordian
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:11pm

      We need a stealth campaing to put up muhammad cartoons everywhere, like grafitti art. You could take that Jesus image from the movie Dogma and add a turbin and scimitar to it.

      Report Post » Islesfordian  
  • historypaper
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:53pm

    If I could only draw, I would publish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a good light. I would have the Prophet standing in the light of Jesus looking over the world. Jesus would speak last and let the Prophet talk for years and years. When the Prophet was done, Jesus would look down on him and smile, placing his right hand on the head of the Prophet, wishing him merry christmas.

    Report Post » historypaper  
  • mayihelpyou
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:50pm

    Muhammad was a murderer.
    Death to the cult of Islam.
    The worship of Muhammad is idolatry.

    Report Post »  
  • Xcori8r
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:47pm

    “I am shocked that a group of people have concrete plans to commit a serious terrorist attack in this country,”

    Does this guy work for National Intelligence Director Clapper?

    Report Post » Xcori8r  
    • snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:02pm

      More likely for Janet Napoletano the little Napoleono.

      http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • Taquoshi
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:11pm

      I guess his newspapers didn’t cover September 11, 2001, or the bombings in England and in Spain? I guess they missed the stories about the Times Square bombing attempt and the one that happened not too long ago up in their neck of the woods.

      Note to Danish government. You may love peace; they however, only want their kind of “peace” which includes but is not limited to murder, terrorism and torture. Just thought you might want to know.

      Report Post » Taquoshi  
    • TaterSalad
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 4:15pm

      Thats……….James “Clueless” Clapper !

      Report Post »  
    • bobodu
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 5:16pm

      Thank God they didn’t plan to kill a policeman then kill people attending the funeral.
      Oh wait…that was a Christian group. I get these whackos confused.

      Report Post »  
  • Into The Night
    Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:44pm

    Don’t worry, Joy Behar still loves these guys!

    Report Post » Into The Night  
    • LVMerrily
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:53pm

      But remember these are peace-loving religious people, the live-and-let-live souls, the turn the other cheek, the do unto other . . . NOT. Maybe the world should work on desensitizing these clowns (apologies to clowns). If the cartoons and criticisms came from hundreds of thousands of sources it would keep them busy ferreting out the sources.

      Report Post »  
    • snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 12:53pm

      At least the Europeans seem to have more on the ball than the US Homeland Security – KGB inc.!!!

      Here the only terror threats we need to deal with are the delusions of a wannabe tyrants who fear the American people and make deals with the terrorists and extremists from within and without.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • mtnclimberjim
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:17pm

      Do the understand that mohammad has the word ham in his name. So he’s a gay pedophile. I wipe my ass every day with pages from the koran. I’ll now draw pictures of the pervert on the pages before I wipe my ass. Hope your offended by this ya bunch of wacked out freaks.

      Report Post » mtnclimberjim  
    • independentvoteril
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:21pm

      Cure.. Arm all employees .. terrorist will think TWICE if people start shooting back..

      Report Post » independentvoteril  
    • BMartin1776
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:26pm

      Ahhhh the religion of peace! Such wonderful people, they contributed so much to the world…
      art, music, dance, architecture, food, science, basic government structure… oh wait that was the Italians! (not getting in a debate here on Italian contributions, dont try it)

      So let me get this straight they wanna do some more killing over a cartoon drawing?! Maybe everyone in the world who isn’t mooslim should draw mohammed b/c what are they going to do kill everyone?

      These nutjobs want to kill over cartoon drawings! Ive seen every other head of a religion drawn in cartoon to be funny or insulting yet I dont see Christians, Buddhists etc killing people over it. Yea yea we know we know the majority of mooslims are peaceful but ya know what. Majority of non mooslims in the world dont believe it b/c NONE of you are speaking up against the radicals within your ranks. We dont see you denouncing their actions or turning (incl your own family) them in! Start policing your own and maybe the world opinion will change and folks wont be joking about dipping soldiers ammunition in pigs blood before they go into battle!

      http://www.savingtherepublic.com

      Report Post » BMartin1776  
    • Curator_JDR
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:31pm

      How do we stop the insanity of Islamists and their head-up-the-butt cousins the Progressiveis? IIts time to LAUGH them into submission. Thats the American way. Public ridicule of Progressives is the social atom bomb that will destroy them.

      Just released. An Animated Short Feature Film “A Not So Grimm Fairy Tale” ………… Political Satire without the restraint of correctness. Synopsis: The people of “Hairmerica” were mislead into believing a totalitarian political machine. They awaken and take back their nation from the grip of Sorge Goros and Nancy Poles-i-don’t-see with the assistance of Ms. Bearah Sailin and her grizzly bear clan.

      http://www.marcrubin.com/hairmerica.ivnu

      Report Post » Curator_JDR  
    • Marcobob69
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:31pm

      Is it just a coincidence that Muslims seem to cause 98% of all the violence the “media” reports on nowadays? I didn’t think so.

      Report Post »  
    • niiiceone
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 2:03pm

      Allah drink to that!

      Report Post »  
    • Okie from Muskogee
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 3:03pm

      How tolerant of Islam…..Is it ok to say Muslims aimed to kill a cartoonist or is it once again just more “radicals”? You know for being in 2 wars last 8-10 years with “radicals” from Islam I’m beginning to think the Muslims who think Islam is peaceful are the radicals…Sure is an awful lot of “radical” Muslims killing people to be called radical….

      I think I’m going to create and publish a new comic book: Mohammed the tolerant prophetic pig. Be looking for it…

      Report Post » Okie from Muskogee  
    • wecanhandlethetruth
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 3:29pm

      Did anyone tell Clapper??

      Report Post »  
    • Snapperhead
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 3:34pm

      Religion of Peace my @ss.

      This is just another and continuing attempt to censor the speech of non-muslims. For Non-muslims are not fit to be equal to muslims.

      Here is a link to Ancient pictures of this Great pedophile drawn my his own followers.
      http://zombietime.com/mohammed_image_archive/islamic_mo_full/

      Maybe the UK should do some tests on Muslims and see if they have a so called brain defect like the conservatives they target.

      Report Post » Snapperhead  
    • TaterSalad
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 4:14pm

      Burqa Woman:

      http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2010/12/27/burka-woman/

      Here is yet another video of the difference between two cultures at the beach.

      http://barenakedislam.wordpress.com/2010/12/28/one-beach-two-peoples/

      Report Post »  
    • Major Infidel
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 4:18pm

      Soon, we will hunt them like the animals that they are. Buy lots of ammo, theres a billion of them.

      Report Post » Major Infidel  
    • KICKILLEGALSOUT
      Posted on December 30, 2010 at 12:08am

      Islam- A Satanic Barbarian Death Cult.

      Import the Hate, Violence, and Intimidation to your local community today!

      Report Post » KICKILLEGALSOUT  
    • BeckIsNuts
      Posted on December 30, 2010 at 11:34am

      I always get a kick from this image of the Prophet Mohammad –

      http://www.flickr.com/photos/55751455@N02/

      Report Post »  
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