Two brothers from Aarhus have been accused of financing terror and training for terrorist acts.
The state's prosecuting authority, Anklagemyndigheden, has commenced criminal proceedings against the two men after the justice minister, Morten Bødskov (Socialdemokraterne), concurred with the public prosecuting authority, Rigsadvokaten, that the two brothers, aged 24 and 19, violated the nation's terror laws.
“Anklagemyndigheden has accused the two brothers of collaborating to arrange and finance the older brother’s stay at a Somali training camp controlled by the terror organisation Al-Shabaab,” public prosecutor Jens Røn said in a statement.
According to the indictment, the 24-year-old spent several months in late 2011 and early 2012 at a training camp close to Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, where he allegedly received instruction on how to commit acts of terror. His 19-year-old brother stands accused of having helped to finance his brother’s stay in Somalia, and both are accused of financially supporting Al-Shabaab.
The case is set to be tried in front of a jury in Aarhus and Anklagemyndigheden expects the case to begin by March 11.
The brothers' defence lawyer, Finn Søgaard, suggested that the prosecution would have a hard time proving its case.
“As one can read when looking at the accusations, the case hinges on events that have taken place in Africa, so [the prosecution] has to produce some evidence to substantiate their claims,” Søgaard told TV2 News.
The brothers’ father said he didn't believe his sons were involved in terrorism.
“They are nice, sweet boys. They are normal kids who go to school and would never hurt another human being, and so I am deeply shocked over this case,” the father, who only wanted to be identified as Mohammed, said to TV2 News.
The brothers, who are both of Somali heritage, have been held in custody since May 2012. They deny the charges against them.
