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November 18th, 2011

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Four months after the attack in Norway by right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik, the Danish domestic intelligence agency, PET, has warned a similar attack could happen in Denmark.

“It’s clearly a concern that we have in Denmark and several other European countries,” Jakob Scharf, head of PET, told Jyllands-Posten newspaper. “We have seen a development in both the politically extreme environments and also a general development in terms of solo terrorism.”

As a result, PET is expanding its efforts to counter extreme groups. The efforts include increased internet surveillance and tightened controls on purchases of fertiliser that can be used to make bombs.

PET also wants to improve the policeÂ’s preparedness and their capacity to respond quickly to terrorist attacks.

Together, the efforts will attempt to make it impossible to plan and instigate a massacre like the one in Norway that cost the lives of 77 people.

According to Jakob Scharf, the extreme right-wing is comprised of “several hundred people”. Out of them, there is a small group who is prepared to use violence and have bought weapons for target practice.

According to PET, the Danish right-wing extremists have already established contact with like-minded but far more violent groups in eastern Europe who have easy access to weapons and who could radicalise the Danish right-wing.

The eastern Europeans are potentially in a position to assist Danish extremists and make it possible to carry out an attack in the style of Anders Breivik.

“It’s worrying that we have already seen people become influenced by other people’s acts of terror and there is a particular concern related to the Anders Breivik case,” Scharf said.

“On the left-wing the copy-cat effect could be that people become inspired by groups in other countries who have sent letter bombs to their political opponents.”

The justice minister, Morten Bødskov (Socialdemokraterne), would not comment on the development but added that he supported PET’s initiatives.

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Note to readers: The Copenhagen Post will now refer to national political parties by their Danish names and abbreviations. DOWNLOAD The Copenhagen Post’s overview of Danish political parties.